Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Because They Are My Family

they are my trembling sky-drum.

They play at their good weather
by draping blue tablecloths over the dinner table--
but I see them kick
the hot coals of the earth
at each other's bare legs
when they eat.

A wind in itself has never been carried.
A mountain never grows.
Thunder knows no patience.

They all gather like in a
glaring white waiting room,
hoping for the next tic
and the first blow
to fall.

And me?
I am the mouse below,
the creature who cringes at every buffet,
every crackle of the fire,
but blows on embers anyway
as he sings.

5 comments:

Chasch said...

I'm not too sure about this one. I really really like the image in the first stanza though... that was very clever, the family kicking hot coals at each other under the table. It's so true.

Mike Carrozza said...

Feels like a The Beatles song could have come from this.
Strange imagery, but still relatable.

Bernard said...

Hmm. I agree with you, Charles. The last few seem disjointed.

TO THE EDITING ROOM!

tabs said...

I agree with Mike, I definitely felt the whole song lyrics vibe, I was half expecting a repetition of a stanze at some point.
The only thing I'd point out is for some reason it seems to be just the start of something. Like a murder mystery. It feels as though it's setting the scene for the actual story.

Marta said...

I love the first line. The poem did seem a bit disjointed, but I thought because it was consistently strange in its imagery that it worked and created a nice tension. The last two stanzas were really bizarre and...interesting. Intriguingly so. I found myself just rereading them and trying to understand for a couple of minutes (in a good way). It sounds somewhat pretentious to say but it was thought provoking! :P