The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Mon 7/21/2008)

[RetroLounge]

On the Ground and Through the Clouds

On this side of Security
Not wanting to go further,
I sat on a bench and sent a text
On my cell. The weather
Was unspeakable, rain
In great efforts. You texted
Back, "Have a safe trip home."
But to fly home was not possible.
You should have known that
The plane would be delayed
And there no longer was a home
For me to speak of, certainly
Not my dogless rooms
On Howard Street.

I could not bring myself to drag
My suitcase across the polished
Floor to check in, wait in line,
Take off my jacket, belt, and shoes
And show my ticket and license.
You should have known that
To board the flight home
Meant starting again the engine
Of longing, the wheels and gauges,
Mixed and missed signals, the calibration
Of last night's quarrel, our hungover
Words, the jet fuel of lost time,
And the vague memory of six
Bison heads gazing through
The hotel room window
From the facade across the street.

I dialed a friend who said, "Go
Board your flight," and I did
What he said and the things I said
I would not do, walked through
The airport to my plane
And its unlikely on-time departure,
Its rising through the black and white
Of the rained-on city, and I tried not to
Picture where you live with your boyfriend,
The one-room apartment, the cats, the posters,
The drum kit in the corner, his side
Of the futon, your black bra on the high hat.

Stuart Dischell

*********

:hi:

RL

[xchrom]

1. ...

I dialed a friend who said, "Go
Board your flight," and I did
What he said and the things I said
I would not do, walked through
The airport to my plane
And its unlikely on-time departure,
Its rising through the black and white
Of the rained-on city, and I tried not to
Picture where you live with your boyfriend,
The one-room apartment, the cats, the posters,
The drum kit in the corner, his side
Of the futon, your black bra on the high hat.

[RetroLounge]

6. ...

:hi:

RL

[BlueIris]

2. What a bizarre piece. It's sad and mournful, but also...peppy?

At least, I thought I detected a little pep.

[RetroLounge]

7. Stuart's poems that I've read are this way...

and they get better on multiple readings.

:hi:

RL

[kat_kringle]

3. curious

i wasn't sure about the line scheme (? technical, i know; i just woke up) but towards the end it all came together. and not only did i reap enjoyment from this, it produced many thoughts and memories that are pleasant to me.

thanks !

:hi:

[RetroLounge]

8. You're welcome!

:hi:

RL

[graywarrior]

4. dogless rooms

hmmmmmmm. I like.

[RetroLounge]

9. ...

:hi:

RL

[Arugula Latte]

11. I don't mind dogless rooms ... But catless rooms depress the hell out of me.

:)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. My dear Retro...

How sad this one is...

...I tried not to
Picture where you live with your boyfriend,

How to go away from one's lover...

So melancholy, and still so beautiful...

I like it!

Thank you...

:hi:

[RetroLounge]

10. ...

:hi:

RL