The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Thu 10/30/2008)

[RetroLounge]

The Republic of Poetry

           For Chile

In the republic of poetry,
a train full of poets
rolls south in the rain
as plum trees rock
and horses kick the air,
and village bands
parade down the aisle
with trumpets, with bowler hats,
followed by the president
of the republic,
shaking every hand.

In the republic of poetry,
monks print verses about the night
on boxes of monastery chocolate,
kitchens in restaurants
use odes for recipes
from eel to artichoke,
and poets eat for free.

In the republic of poetry,
poets read to the baboons
at the zoo, and all the primates,
poets and baboons alike, scream for joy.

In the republic of poetry,
poets rent a helicopter
to bombard the national palace
with poems on bookmarks,
and everyone in the courtyard
rushes to grab a poem
fluttering from the sky,
blinded by weeping.

In the republic of poetry,
the guard at the airport
will not allow you to leave the country
until you declaim a poem for her
and she says Ah! Beautiful.

Martin Espada

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

:hi:

RL

[blueraven95]

1. morning!

how wonderful it would be to have a country where poetry is really appreciated!

:hi:

[RetroLounge]

2. Morning!

:hi:

RL

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. I would never write a beautiful poem

I would stay forever :loveya: :donut: :hi:

[RetroLounge]

6. ...

:hi:

:hug:

RL

[BlueIris]

4. Cute. nt

[RetroLounge]

8. ...

:hi:

RL

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. My dear Retro!

Now, that sounds like my kind of place!

Very cool...

Thank you!

:hi:

[RetroLounge]

9. ...

:hi:

RL

[Chorophyll]

7. Good evening!

Happy poem! :hi:

[RetroLounge]

10. Happy Indeed!

Good evening. Just hanging out and reading...'

How's your day?

:hi:

RL

[YankeyMCC]

11. Hey there nt

[RetroLounge]

13. Hey!

:hi:

RL

[otherlander]

12. I love Martin Espada's poetry!

That one always makes me smile. So does the one he wrote that ends with the lines, "The boy's eyes/ Were black islands." "Something Escapes The Bonfire" made me cry, though.

[RetroLounge]

14. He's doing a workshop at Palm Beach in January

I was going to try to attend, but I just can't afford it...

:hi:

RL