The BlueIris Semi-Nightly Poetry Break, 7/23/08

[BlueIris]

"Girl Talk"

At the lodge pool, two ten year old girls swim
To the deep end. They half float on the rim

And pump small waves with their feet, their heads turned
As if to shut out the world. They have learned

That pen pals do not write back when they go home.
Too soon, they know, their dads or moms will come

And call them to their rooms. So this my be
The last time to talk with blue lips and see

How close they could have been. Oh yes! They like
The same foods, same shows, same games and their bikes

Are pink and Schwinn. Their friends at school are nice.
They drink hot tea with milk and Coke with ice.

They wisp and sing these words, so soft a tone,
It sounds more like the plink plink of a stone

Skipped on a lake than girl talk. Then they burst
Out of the pool, stand, smirk and dive headfirst.

—Michael J. Bugeja

[BlueIris]

1. I love this one. It's one of my favorite poems ever.

One of those poems that showed me what the art could do.

[mokawanis]

2. Surprisingly enough I like it too

I don't usually go for rhyming poetry but this one works. Strong images and a it captures the essence of a fleeting moment.

[BlueIris]

5. Yes, the essence of a fleeting moment.

I've always liked that about it (first found it in '97). I also like that it manages to be both bittersweet and literally sweet at the same time.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear BlueIris!

Oh, to be ten years old once again...

The lost innocence...

This is lovely!

It captures that long-ago time so well...

Thank you!

[BlueIris]

8. Doesn't it just *nail* it?

I think so.

[mokawanis]

4. One by Stephen Dunn

I was looking for one of his from years ago I that I really liked but I couldn't find it so I'll post this one instead.

"Welcome"

if you believe nothing is always what's left
after a while, as I did,
If you believe you have this collection
of ungiven gifts, as I do (right here
behind the silence and the averted eyes)
If you believe an afternoon can collapse
into strange privacies-
how in your backyard, for example,
the shyness of flowers can be suddenly
overwhelming, and in the distance
the clear goddamn of thunder
personal, like a voice,
If you believe there's no correct response
to death, as I do; that even in grief
(where I've sat making plans)
there are small corners of joy
If your body sometimes is a light switch
in a house of insomniacs
If you can feel yourself straining
to be yourself every waking minute
If, as I am, you are almost smiling . . .

- Stephen Dunn

[BlueIris]

6. Nice! (I love Stephen Dunn.) Here's my favorite Dunn poem:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[RetroLounge]

7. Very nice

and not dark at all

RL

[BlueIris]

9. We'll be back to "dark" tomorrow, don't worry.

But I'm really trying to balance out the darkness with the lighter stuff. I even have a funny one coming up soon.

[mokawanis]

10. BlueIris, do you recall

another one by Dunn called "Day and Night Hardball" or something like that?

It was a poem I really liked but kind of forgot about until recently and now I can't find it. For all I know I have the info wrong and it was written by someone else...lol...but I seem to recall it was one of Dunn's.

[BlueIris]

11. Um...no. But I'll look around for it. nt