The BlueIris Semi-Nightly Poetry Break, 6/24/08

[BlueIris]

—for B.

"A Mistake"

A bird flies into our kitchen.
It's a mistake; there's
no open window, no one's
come or gone
through the back door.
Something down from the chimney?
Who knows—it just sits
by the table leg, wings spread,
breast heaving. You try
to slide a dustpan under the bird,
with brown paper bag poised above it,
in case it takes off
—and—
it flutters away, lands next to the fridge.
I notice, you know.
Who could send such a lightweight
to deride our patience?

We could have had rhapsodies
instead of this messenger
that tells us we are our life's biggest grievance,
and I use you,
and you require me.
What we are not
rises like sorrow between us.

—Richard Bentley

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear BlueIris...

Ah, what a lovely metaphor!

I really like this...

Great word play...

Thank you!

:hug:

[BlueIris]

2. Thanks, C-Peg!!

It's nice to know I'm still capable of posting things you actually like.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. You know I mostly like what you post, silly girl!

I'm just too damn conventional, is all...

:hug:

[Westegg]

3. This is great...

...I love how the unexpected and absurd visitor, with the help of the quotidien dustpan and brown paper bag, brings to the fore in an instant what is wrong with this relationship. How wonderfully fucking real. And the quick summation of it: "I use you and you require me." Even better: "We are our life's biggest grievance." Such brutal honesty. The kind that's usually hidden and no one wants to think about. Until a startling burst of feathers shakes you out of your denial for two minutes.

Wow.