sarah masen

a tuesday poem

by garrett on Wed Apr 11 10:59:56 +0000 2001 in Melting Pot

i would say “no” to the quitting smoking proposition. smoking is one of the few leisures left, in our society that is ambiance-creating. of course, smoking too much is definitely detrimental, but if it can be done moderately, without a complete colonization of the body, then continue the bold fight. there are few of us left.
here’s a poem i’ve been working on:

i could be unwound
if i let myself —
to a drop D tuning;
plucking the nylon
slow
the somber key and sad words.
i catch myself nodding
into the flight
counting the stairs
and the pavement lines.
jump . . .
counting, nevercountingfastenough
it would be
so much easier
to open my mouth
and let my tongue dance
throw its own sound out.
let those words form their own shape.
i find myself nodding
into that fight
like a warm sleep on a dance floor.
like the stones of death-beds
approaching that clear light.
i could throw out those
clear words and let
us all see through them.
and that is more baffling
than success.
Mystery.
how could he have let himself
go like this?

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