3.21.2011

7 poems - 7 days - Day 7 REDUX

Remember when I wrote poems? That was fun.

Well my pal Meghan H. (a published poet I'll have you know) was kind enough to go over a few of my bon mots and give me some feedback. She did this a long time ago and I am finally getting to it now. I feel the tying of loose ends is part of my growing up process that today also included finding a dentist!

BUT enough of me being smug about my teeth. Here's a second attempt with a new title. Original here. No promises on when others might get another look.


---Illiterate---

Growing up not Catholic
is the biggest tragedy of my life
I'm not Jewish either
another damnable attack
Lacking the benefits of a Classical education
all I had was a periodic United Church
bereft of pageantry and
rife with white bread sandwiches
There were stories there
and they trace back the same
but I forget, if I ever listened.

So now I write poetry and can't find the archetype
the creation myth
or patchwork of wonder
No raven or turtle to guide me
No shorthand for history
King David's just some king
so are Henry and George and Louis and
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Science can't help
with its stories told from a lab
book of hard truths and fact
A space clean, fluoresced and sharp
whose lights shine too self
confident and important
Words that might be explaining the universe
but fucked if I understand.

So I stare at the brightly lit and obvious
An opiate's stories
chanting electric prayer into the living
room
Burn and hide to dim the light
and the obvious becomes less and more
an archetype.
What I have is pro wrestling
and last I checked
the Pope's not holding the belt.

1 comment:

  1. I like that new "an opiate's stories" line because of how it alludes to religion as the opiate of the masses, which in context is an awfully nice trick. Also a fan of the white bread sandwiches addition as a nice, specific detail. I (still? can't remember) find parts of the first half of the last stanza confusing, but overall the 'steering' and control here are tremendously improved. Good piece for a reading, if you're ever in a position to need one.

    - Meghan H

    ReplyDelete