The BlueIris Semi-Nightly Poetry Break, 1/30/08

[BlueIris]

Yeah, I know it's late. I had a bad day. You're getting three poems "today" as a result. On top of Retro's poem thread—that's a buttload of poetry, Loungers.

"Teller"

for A.L.

She read nothing but hands
the color of tea leaves, the Crow
from her daddy's side giving her wild
strawberry skin and a house

on the edge of browntown. She
spent Saturdays blessing brides,
unwrapping cards from red scarves,
spoke surprises into henna
hands, whispering the heart is just

a line crossing the palm and love
love is knowing how to catch it,

when to let go. Long after you crossed
her unmapped hand with silver, long
after taking the back of a lover's hand
or finding the raven's path home

your wings kept time to the fist that is
the heart: pounding, fleeing, reaching.

—Kevin Young

[BlueIris]

1. Kick.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. for A. L.

is that you or is that part of the poem, which is perfectly lovely by the way.

[BlueIris]

3. Part of the poem.

In general, everything posted after the title in a poetry break thread is an element of the poem.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. I love stuff like that...

an added dimension, curious. Who is A. L. I can't help but wonder. *shuffles off to google*

[BlueIris]

5. ...egh. I used to think inscriptions/dedications like that were cool...

now, not so much. It's something that I try to avoid, as a writer. I think it takes something away from the poem in its own right. I think everything included in a poem should in some way advance the ambition of the poem and a lot of the dedications I've seen in modern poetry just...don't do that.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. Yeah, It does draw away from the poem, I agree.

I am easily distracted ~sigh~ see the shiny object how it glistens in the sun.

[BlueIris]

7. Kick.

[BlueIris]

8. One last little kick, before the other poetry breaks are posted.