Life and Death – Page 4 – Anne's mediocre poetry

Age

I cannot today from yesterday render any line. Nor tomorrow’s promises from today’s define. So if you ask me of my age I’ll tell you this is so; I’m one day more than yesterday, the rest I hardly know. 11/30/1980

Poetry

why is a simple question to answer gutter balls and backstabbers watergates and timetables men dying in foreign lands widows eating dog food children growing and not growing old the front pages of newspapers the back pages of autobiographies why is a simple question to answer 12/27/1979

after tiananmen

this mouth never hesitates these hands plant seeds bearing radishes parsley tomatoes i am a wonderful salad maker eat of it and live die without it your soul will vanish china china you are the earth and i am your blood 6/9/1989

cutting the line

i’m doing it tonight your voice won’t hear my hello anymore i won’t don’t want your reply no news good news and wednesday is just another tuesday i’ll live yesterday and forget today’s newspaper yeah i’ve cut it –done there’s a knock at my door 2-19-81 in memoriam Frederick Francis Birkam (9/16/1922-2/18/1981)

coming up for air

i’m going on down to the beauty shop for a face – lift redo my body going down i’m going on down to the station passing away these dreams are getting me down don’t call me tuesday i’ll be down already on monday i’m going on down to fashion square for a costume to hideContinue reading “coming up for air”

Costume party

You’re invited, so you make-up your body in masquerade tints looking around you for a model. There’s a goblin always hungry, never has enough. He’d take your dinner and your lung leaving an empty bowl to sup. But you hate indigestion. So you stop and wonder How shall my soul be dressed? There’s Napoleon inContinue reading “Costume party”

Doctor doctor

My illness is a part of me – yet you, doctor, try to cure it. You heave your scalpel into my brain – the inquiring scientist finds nothing. You attach your fingers to the sound of my breast, sorting through a maze of veins. The stethoscope hears empty. Your investigations reveal puzzle after puzzle. HowContinue reading “Doctor doctor”

now and then

the waves rolled against the coast leaving traces they were there now are gone a melody flowed through this heart metal sieve notes touched it then departed you lived my gentle flag my friend so dearly you lived then making now my cross to bear 10/20/1980

The birds

The first time I planted sage chicken was cooking on the grill- waiting. I add herbs to this garden of mine, a naturalist, I know I can make anything grow. A little water, a little mulch, a little background music. The soil is damp to my touch. I work it like clay. The background musicContinue reading “The birds”