Stone Soup Croutons is a weekly poem I write using lines and impressions picked up from poems overheard from Stone Soup's open mic readers and features. I figure out a title afterwards. I used to try and get this out by Tuesday morning, but Wednesdays are somewhat easier now.
Thanks to Neiel Israel for an amazing feature this past Monday. I am happy that we were able to present her such a diverse and robust open mic. You can view it here and try to figure out where some of my lines come from.
One last thing. I'm starting to realize that in writing these poems, I've created a new character. The "you" in these poems, if you will, who I'm putting through their paces. It's not really me, but it's not not me. That's all I'll say at this point.
Pawned
Wake up to your broken watch
permanently set to 5 a.m.
always missing the witching party.
Window open in case a siren
invites you to drown
or smash your head against a rock.
Honesty is important
even if you never tell them the truth.
You spent your day wishing
you could jump the line
of parked cop cars
like Evel Knievel
but with a ten speed
with a secret button
you punch like a podium
during a primary campaign
or the spot on your face
your father would tap
in the last house your family
ever stayed in before
your grounded transience.
The pilgrim's prayer
echoed in your hometown
chimes the alarmless morning
to send you on your way,
place to place, door to door,
trying to find a new spin
to your toppled toneless
tongue-tied self,
sell it to another space
not set to squeeze you out,
anxious to even be smashed
by two hard surfaces
before being spit back
to the corner table
in the coffee sop,
an empty piano
you can't even use
to sing for supper.
 |
| On this list is a poet Hannah wants to feature at Stone Soup badly. |
Special thanks to John Robinson, Erik Nelson, Jonathan, Surat Lozowick, Kayvon, Jonathan J. Joseph, Elizabeth Auguste, Hannah Brown, and James Van Looy.
No comments:
Post a Comment