The BlueIris Semi-Nightly Poetry Break, 12/17/07

[BlueIris]

"Miss Lucille"

     1.  All Saint's
she had long since
stopped living
on bird time

ignoring the coming
the going     those
few who stayed

behind     she kept
to her own earth     bent
far too low sometimes

to notice night stumbling
upon her tiny unfenced garden
when she could no longer see

what was growing in her 
hands     she just felt her way
among the steady weeds

pulling what felt too long
to be greens     too short
to be despair

she preserved it all
in jars of vinegar
or placed it deep

in the icebox     who could afford
what bloomed out of season
her fists only knew how quickly

the children grew     tired
of the rhubarb that winter
often bring

so she picked and pickled
and put away     whatever it was
she thought to save     working on

by sickled moons     she swore
there was a man up there
somewhere     and that's why

they kept disappearing

     2.  Labor Day
She had dropped enough
spoons in her time to know

she was in a family
way.  Who needed a doctor

when the metal said it all?
She cursed its silver belly

curled up on the floor, her man
just three days dead & already

giving her another mouth
to fill.  No hands to help.  Why

leave her another life
to look after when he couldn't

mind his own?  But the spoon
just sat there, too dull to see

herself in, too shiny
empty to ignore.

—Kevin Young

[BlueIris]

1. Kick.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. wow.

just wow.

I wonder does he have any more gems, this Kevin Young.

[BlueIris]

3. Why yes, yes he does!

And it shall be my pleasure to bring them to you!

[BlueIris]

4. Kick.

[BlueIris]

5. Kick.

[RetroLounge]

6. Nice!

:hi:

RL

[BlueIris]

7. Thanks! I love Kevin. nt