As part of National Poetry Month, I've tried to unearth some poetry favorites -- both mine and yours -- but I've saved the best for almost-last: Ami Greko of FSG has kindly invited me to take part in the celebration of their poets. Several of you have pointed out her blog and have noted how clutch it is that someone in her role "gets" litblogs. Her effusive enthusiasm for poetry has been a joy to visit each day this month. Such a joy, that I secretly (and now less secretly) hope she'll continue to blog after National Poetry Month is over. It is in the spaces between the planned posts where the good stuff lives and Ami's got it in spades.
I feel quite lucky to share the text of two outstanding poems today by two of my favorite poets. The first poem is Green Sees Things in Waves by August Kleinzahler. Ami has the audio of Kleinzahler's reading up at the FSG poetry blog. Please check it out and enjoy. It is delicious stuff:
Green Sees Things in Waves
Green first thing each day sees waves--
the chair, armoire, overhead fixtures, you name it,
waves---which, you might say, things really are,
but Green just lies there awhile breathing
long slow breaths, in and out, through his mouth
like he was maybe seasick, until in an hour or so
the waves simmer down and then the trails and colors
off of things, that all quiets down as well and Green
starts to think of washing up, breakfast even
with everything moving all around, colors, trails,
and sounds, from the street and plumbing next door,
vibrating---of course you might say that's what
sound really is, after all, vibrations---but Green,
he's not thinking of physics at this stage, nuh-uh,
our boy's only trying to get himself out of bed,
get a grip, but sometimes, and this is the kicker,
another party, shall we say, is in the room
with Green, and Green knows this other party
and they do not get along, which understates it
quite a bit, quite a bit, and Green knows
that this other cat is an hallucinaation, right,
but these two have a routine that goes way back
and Green starts hollering, throwing stuff
until he's all shook up, whole day gone to hell,
bummer...
Anyhow, the docs are having a look,
see if they can't dream up a cocktail,
but seems our boy ate quite a pile of acid one time,
clinical, wow, enough juice for half a block---
go go go, little Greenie---blew the wiring out
from behind his headlights and now, no matter what,
can't find the knob to turn off the show.
by August Kleinzahler
from Green Sees Things in Waves
