The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Tue 3/21/06)

[RetroLounge]

Postcards

I'm thinking about you. What else can I say?
The palm trees on the reverse
are a delusion; so is the pink sand.
What we have are the usual
fractured coke bottles and the smell
of backed-up drains, too sweet,
like a mango on the verge
of rot, which we have also.
The air clear sweat, mosquitoes
& their tracks; birds & elusive.

Time comes in waves here, a sickness, one
day after the other rolling on;
I move up, it's called
awake, then down into the uneasy
nights but never
forward. The roosters crow
for hours before dawn, and a prodded
child howls & howls
on the pocked road to school.
In the hold with the baggage
there are two prisoners,
their heads shaved by bayonets, & ten crates
of queasy chicks. Each spring
there's race of cripples, from the store
to the church. This is the sort of junk
I carry with me; and a clipping
about democracy from the local paper.

Outside the window
they're building the damn hotel,
nail by nail, someone's
crumbling dream. A universe that includes you
can't be all bad, but
does it? At this distance
you're a mirage, a glossy image
fixed in the posture
of the last time I saw you.
Turn you over, there's the place
for the address. Wish you were
here. Love comes
in waves like the ocean, a sickness which goes on
& on, a hollow cave
in the head, filling & pounding, a kicked ear.

Margaret Atwood

********************

RL

Checkout the Daily Poem Archive at:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph ...

and if you want to see some of my poetry, see the blog at:
http://www.myspace.com/retropaul

[LaurenG]

1. I read these everyday but never write anything to you

Today I am saying thank you for the daily poem thread! Thank you!!!

[RetroLounge]

5. Thanks for replying!

I like to know people are reading these threads still...

:hi:

RL

[wildhorses]

2. damn but, that is good stuff...

that time thing is a real conundrum the way she describes it vertically instead of horizontally:wow:

and the kicked ear ....AWESOME




LOVE IT:thumbsup:





oh yeah, thanks for the hugs:hug:

[RetroLounge]

6. Glad you liked it...

and hugs are always free... :hug:

RL

[miss_american_pie]

3. ...

:hug:

[RetroLounge]

7. ...

:hug::hug:

RL

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. What an image, my dear RetroLounge......

What lies underneath the glossy vacation postcards, indeed.....

Thank you......


:hug:

[RetroLounge]

8. Hello my dear CP!

:hi:

RL

[RetroLounge]

9. Kick

:kick:

Does anyone still want these poetry threads? Seems interest has waned...

:shrug:

RL