Monday, April 7, 2014

PAD - Day 7. (6) Self- Portrait Poems










Ah Whitman

Song of myself?
how to compare
I too had some rippling
muscles – a belly
you could bounce
a quarter on
breasts that had boys
speaking only to them
as though I was the
Headless Horseman
it wouldn’t have mattered
their gazes so fixed
back then
all the physical stuff
in a nice package
that got a few
doors opened
but not any of
the important ones -
some of which still
remain firmly shut -
others which swing
wide open on creaking
hinges – now that the
breasts have fallen
toward the stomach
that can now hold a
handful of quarters
and so
I sing

~
another piece of the puzzle

they sat on the steps
in the summer
a hot misty night
he smoked blowing
smoke rings into
the heavy popsicle
scented air
and asked with
a voice like Alice’s
caterpillar ….
“Would you rather
be the product of
cold calculation or…”
smoke rings floated
“the product of love”
She already – a twelve
year old Nancy Drew
knew the answer -
having found their
teenaged love letters
tied with blue satin
ribbon in some
boxes in the basement
but liked making the
choice for herself
then –
 s
   i
     t
       t
         t
           i
            n
              g
                                    on the steps
                                    that summer

~
Self- Portrait

with the same name
as Hester’s love child
and Mrs. Rosenberg
her kindergarden teacher
confusing – whether
high art or a finger-painting
beginning to think
all is the same
changed only by
the critic viewer





~

in the night…

Standing behind wooden spokes
In the night
In the night
Waiting with a wordless scream
For something keenly felt but as
Yet completely totally unknown
The wheel turns





4 comments:

  1. I love them all, and marvel at the variety.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww thank you so very much Rosemary - for taking the time in tis busy busy season to stop and to comment - so very much appreciated and I am delighted that you are enjoying ... It means a great deal to me :)

      Delete
  2. What a darling little girl you were, Pearl.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mary ... Seems like just last month - that my mom and grandmom decided to cut my to the waist hair (because I was such a small girl they thought it was causing headaches) .....

      Delete