The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Wed 1/16/2008)

[RetroLounge]

Ars Poetica, Or Keeper-of-the-Water

First my father killing me softly with his Roberta Flack album.
Now my son killing me softly with his Fugees CD.
On my shoulder a carcinoma that will eventually kill me--
will eat my flesh, as I eat yours.
I bit hard, sucked hard, not to mark you as my possession
as the rancher burns his ranch insignia into calves--
but to try and ingest, to take into me
that which cannot be eaten.
Outside my bedroom window the tiny clawed feet of birds
are slipping on the ice in the cement birdbath
like the elderly couple who have not skated in half a century.
The birds peck and peck, but the ice remains
an impenetrable obstacle to thirst.
I can see why lovers commit suicide together.
And why you enter me with such abandon--
a blind man's stick tap, tapping
resolved to the knowledge that death is always
only a foot in front of him. At any moment
the cane may fail him and he may fall
into the deepest, blackest well.
Excuse me un momentito, while I boil
some water to pour on the ice. Bullshit--
you're not going to take the time to boil water
when it runs pretty damn hot right from the tap.
I admire the couple for strapping
on those blades after all these years.
At least they have each other to hold onto.
And one can always drive the other to the hospital.
I feel like Charles Bukowski:
I eat small pork sausages with my hands,
wipe the grease on my pajamas,
speak about the opposite sex with scorn
and I'll never be taken seriously by academia.
Blame it on the intoxication of paralytic poisons--
the seduction of lights-out love songs.
Blame it on Dean Young.
And the distraction of hundreds of birds
outside my window, and my full-time obsession
as the keeper of their water.

Joanne Dominique Dwyer

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Joanne Dominique Dwyer lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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:hi:

RL

[BarenakedLady]

1. Keeper-of-the-Water

I like that.

I am Keeper-of-the-Secrets. :D Maybe someday I'll write a poem about it.

[Inchworm]

2. seize the day!

No.. screw that.. I'll hold it for you :P

:thumbsup:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. wo0t.

:applause:

"...and I'll never be taken seriously by academia..." me either :D

Telling my whole life with her words.
Killing me softly with this poem ;)

:donut:

:hi:

[xchrom]

4. whenever i hear that song -- i'm always reminded of movies

where someone smothers somebody with a pillow.

[RetroLounge]

6. I'll remember that...

:rofl:

RL

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. My dear Retro!

Wow, this is wonderful! I especially like this stanza:

I bit hard, sucked hard, not to mark you as my possession
as the rancher burns his ranch insignia into calves--
but to try and ingest, to take into me
that which cannot be eaten.

Great imagery!

Thank you...

:hug:

[hisownpetard]

7. Amazing poem! Thanks so much, RL.

P.S. What did you think of my take on Addonizio? Do you disagree?

[RetroLounge]

8. I can see your point on Kim...

But I only have one of her books, and I really like it.

Less beauty in the words than say, Dorianne Laux (to comapre 2 friends) but the intensity and emotion carry the work, I think.

Maybe her novel writing has affected her poetry?

RL