« Elegy for an Elegy | Main | The Haiku »
October 15, 2004
A Consensus of One
I have been convinced by a consensus of one to go ahead and post one of my very own, all original elegies. However, I first need a disclaimer. Rule #347 of poetry is that the "I" of the poem is not always the author. In other words, the reader should not assume that the poem is autobiographical. My poetry draws partially on my life experiences, but is intended as being representative of the human experience in general. Simply put, this poem is not an excerpt from my life and should not be interpreted as such.
Believer
Dad told me I should be embarrassed
at how much I cried at your funeral.
He told me tricks for holding it in -
blinking back tears, breathing deeply,
thinking of a joke, imagining people in their underwear.
You taught your son well.
Pastor Johnson told me not to mourn
like those who have no hope.
Why not?
He also taught me in Sunday school
that people have free will -
can choose
to believe in God
or not.
You believed
that everyone at church was a hypocrite,
pious and self-righteous.
You believed
that God was a wish
and Jesus was a fraud.
You believed
in staying home on Sunday mornings
peering at the crossword
through your reading glasses
head bowed
armed with Webster's and a mechanical pencil
drinking tar-thick coffee
and starting early on your pack of Salems.
Grandma told me about the pact.
How whoever died first
would contact the other.
She's still waiting
patiently
in her rocking chair
for you to follow through,
as if she were waiting
for the phone to ring.
What would your heaven be like?
Hourly newspaper delivery,
a bottomless cup of tar
and one never-ending Salem.
------
Quote of the day:
"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."
-Winston Churchill
Posted by Megan at October 15, 2004 11:59 PM
Comments
I don't know jack about poetry, but the English major in me screams "SUCCESS!"
Posted by: Kristin at October 17, 2004 10:50 AM
I like it. I like it a lot. Keep it up.
Posted by: paul at October 17, 2004 01:11 PM
Wow. A good poem takes on a life of its own in the imagination of the reader. This one takes on several lives: one for every character.
Wow.
Posted by: Kathy at October 17, 2004 02:54 PM
VERY very nice.
I wish I would have taken a poetry class. Would probably really help with lyric writing.
I'm very impressed with this :) WE WANT MORE!
Posted by: Matt Heerema at October 18, 2004 09:11 AM
good job, megan.
Posted by: Autumn at October 18, 2004 02:03 PM