The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Mon 10/9/06)

[RetroLounge]

Patience of God

At St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Ottumwa, Iowa,
I fell in love with Father John Clark at Sunday mass when I was nine.
I married him on my first communion.
At Dickey's Prairie Home Buffet, still wearing my white dress,
I broke a plate and dropped cranberry sauce in my lap
and practiced saying "consummated."

Sitting always in the first pew, I had the best view of him,
and the best piece of the body of Christ, first in line.
Unlike the older ladies whose small tongues quivered,
I had a strong one, and could extend it like a drawbridge,
taking the whole body of Christ on my tongue, securely.
That way, I also stole a taste of the fingers of Father John.

Father John Clark loved me, I'm sure of it,
which is why he left the church that year.
That's also why my old neighbor next door died.
She loved him too. Father John Clark used to visit her
so he could watch me, secretly, as I panned for gold
in the limestone driveway

Ten years, he said, he'd be back for me, so I practiced
with anyone who'd have me. Father John said to—-
"Prepare yourself for the coming of the Lord. Make yourself worthy."
By nineteen, I was worthy.
That was a year of heat, a dry year, a year of faith.

Cindy Bosley

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

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

[RetroLounge]

1. Kick

Hello? I know you're out there...

:shrug:

RL

[EFerrari]

2. Sharon Olds.

Iirc, she used to write great sonnets. :)

[EFerrari]

3. And, here is a link to a Salon interview (ca. 1999?)

The poet talks about breathing,
the Pope's penis, and the necessity
of getting out of art's way

By DWIGHT GARNER
Illustration by Charlie Powell

Domesticity, death, erotic love -- the stark simplicity of Sharon Olds' subjects, and of her plain-spoken language, can sometimes make her seem like the brooding Earth Mother of American poetry. ("I have learned to get pleasure," Olds wrote in her last book, "from speaking of pain.") In photographs she tends to look somewhat dark and remote, too; there's a sense of brewing drama. She seems a natural heir to such melancholy talents as Ann Sexton and Sylvia Plath.

http://www.salon.com/weekly/interview960701.html

:hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear RetroLounge!

Sorry to be so late.......

This is a very weird poem, I think!

I'm not at all sure why I like it.......but I do......

It sure is weird, though!

:pals:

[wildhorses]

5. me thinks she lost her virginity at age 19

thats what me thinks...

[RetroLounge]

6. or Prior to 19...

:hi:

RL

[wildhorses]

7. you could be right...

he did tell her to prepare herself after all...:rofl:

:hi:

[idgiehkt]

8. yeah, that was my take on it.

practice made perfect, to no avail.

[IChing]

9. Well, she wasn't a boy at the time.

Love those nuns though.



Killing for peace is like fucking for virginity.