The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Thu 4/19/2007)

[RetroLounge]

Chesterfield

The brand my mother smoked was Chesterfield
While talking to my father or the phone.
A flared match to the tip, clouds broke apart,
Or puffed out when she spoke. It was an art,
Like any skill, once mastered. When she held
Her prop, imagined elegance infused
Her every gesture lifted from old films
That mesmerized her during the Depression,
Shot "in glorious black-and-white," sleek realms
Of men tragically distant, yet amused
By their own irony; pale heroines
Who wept or else leaned backward to be kissed;
Families with secret griefs, or public sins
Good wives endure... A slow dissolve, to mist.

Ned Balbo

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

RL

If you have a request for a certain Poet, post their name in the thread and I will find a poem by them and post it...

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

[blueraven95]

1. I love your poetry posts

I look for them everyday - they are such a welcome break.

[RetroLounge]

2. Thank you

Sometime I wonder if anyone besides 2 or 3 regulars are reading them anymore...

:hi:

RL

[blueraven95]

4. poetry is one of those artforms

that is seriously underrated.

:hi:

[BlueIris]

3. Ooooh, good one.

Very nice.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Good morning, my dear Retro!

Ah, how graceful, and beautiful this is!

He captures the elegance of smoking perfectly...

And so adroitly too!

Too bad it's so harmful...

Thank you, sweetie...:hug:

[RetroLounge]

7. ...

:hi:

RL

[wildhorses]

6. i love this metaphor ---

Good wives endure... A slow dissolve, to mist.

very seductive, the art of smoking

:smoke:

[txwhitedove]

8. Good evening, RL. The words waft like smoke to create

a picture, a story of a life or memories that drift away like mist.
This reminds me of my mother, and all others who smoked during an era when it was thought of as fashionable. Whenever I get to run through DU, I always read your poetry thread. Most good poetry is thought provoking, so perhaps many of us enjoy your posts but don't know what to say.