That freckled Yankee skin
pinking up in the sun,
her left foot tap tap tap tap
tapping on the grey-weathered front porch boards.
Some cocky young buck in a wife-beater,
sweats in the dusty yard
clanking on a seized-up
3-five-0.
That was A. back then, but that ain’t now
She used that perfume soap
and conjured up her own
undoing, all for the Lord’s
abomination or hardshell church’s scorn.
But sure as you’re born her johnny-on-the-spot
was makin’ her all flighty
hither, tither like some dark eyed
junco flits.
That was A. back then, but that ain’t now
Ah, but time got away,
like taillights down Carsins run,
all’s gone to Jesus, amidst
whirlwinds and wires and she met herself
a woebegotten angel who smote her
thigh and hip and that was that…
she was done with reckless and
breaking mama’s rule.
And back then became back then, and now was now
No, the A I know got
her brass buttoned tight, she
no longer runs with the rivers,
all wild, the left arm tan line’s faded
with time and she’s figured the
bow-legged rooster the knock-kneed hen
may run together but they
ain’t no kin.
and what was then was then and now is now
Ah!, but I still imagine for to
give her her rightful druthers
she’s be fixin’ me up for
a trick bag, for just one last midnight ramble
all wrapped up in a sou’wester and a
fine new bombazine cloak.
and there’s, A., Me, and the wild run rivers
of my dreams.
Pingback: Straightforward Poems for Straightforward People « tarnation and eudemonia
I like the familiarity of this, the comfort of old memories, wishes and dreams
This is the perfect proof that the Americans and English are two people divided by a common language.
!!!! LOL!!!!
You can billy my hill any day you like, you slow talkin’ Southern sumbitch.
Fits in a lovely way, into a part of living we may all share at one time or another. Hope this year is good. Thank you, hans
I really like this one.
…time getting away like the taillights… A, me and the wild run rivers. Very nicely told story… really like it!
Put up the voice recording! I would love to know how the way I read it differs from how it was written to sound..
Lovin’ the flavors, Seb and diggin’ the hat too!
e
I liked it! “for just one last midnight ramble
all wrapped up in a sou’wester and a
fine new bombazine cloak.” good one! (really like the new pic too)
Now – there’s a clue for you. What’s the reference there and how does it fit into the poem?
oh no! a pop quiz. I will go back and re-read it and see if I can find the answer.
Google may be of assistance
Ok, I know the line (or similar) came from Moby Dick by Herman Melville. I believe he was talking about men who fancied themselves sailors? Am I close? I tried to do this without google. But I may have to resort to it.
Ishmael was the reliable, all-seeing narrator of a man’s obsessive quest to redeem himself by actions. That’s the role A. would play in such adventures. Good work!
that made me think Seb! Whew, I hadn’t read Moby Dick in ages, but the line was familiar for some reason, so I had to really think about it. I think I deserve that hat of yours! hehe just kidding, well sorta. Love a man in a hat
Oh it was the most BORING book ever written!
that’s why I only read it once! ha! But whatever I read, things stick in my mind, even many years later. It can be a curse or a blessing. (It was boring wasn’t it?)
a fancy man??? I keep trying
OMG….I love it, Seb, and you surely know ten thousand reasons why…….
Love ~ Me
It’s excellent, Seb!
I love this so much! This part:
“all’s gone to Jesus, amidst
whirlwinds and wires and she met herself
a woebegotten angel who smote her
thigh and hip and that was that…
she was done with reckless and
breaking mama’s rule.”
Yup I think I’ve done somewhat of the opposite ha. Though I love the feeling of looking back and dreaming of times past.
…also, digging the new pic
Pingback: Further poly musings | Sweet the Sound
Oh but there’ll be hell to pay if she catches you!
…. a woebegotten angel… what a beautiful thought.
the 3rd stanza, man … I think I’m tipsy
Aw shucks, thanks, because that was the real hard one to write – took a real long time, indeed. It’s the there to here verse, the watercarrier, the moral framework for the end of the poem (without which the end would be kinda creepy, in fact) and it was mighty tribulation to get written. So I appreciate you noticing…
I will never understand your immersion in this Americana – all I know is that were someone to write this in an modern English vernacular, it would include rain, late buses and vomiting up mushroom biryani on your shoes. Such a romantic view not only of the past, but of the language of the past.
I wish I could write like this!
You do pretty well writing the way you do
Thanks
1) Voice recording, please 2) What have you done here? This is stylistically the opposite of WTFSEB – the language is the same, but this one is thick and dense while the previous was light and breezy. As much as i don’t like that you don’t post weekly anymore, I do like that you take your time to make the entries so tasty and worthwhile when they do come.
You always did like the buttoned down ones. Especially when they undid those top two to show you a little shadow, a little curve, a little cleft.
Sparkles and pops everywhere it should! I think this is my new favorite poem. Oh I hope you do get around to that audio version. I want to hear it.
This goes deeper into your inner, private language than any recent poem. I love the theme of the two way journey and the dichotomy of our “thens” and “nows”
Very pleasing, Sebbie
Tasty!
I love your stuff, and you’re not around enough Seb. You’re a tease!
I am, yes
Sorry. I really only tend to post when I feel I have something worthwhile to say, which I haven’t already said before. You know, make an occasion of it!
Like the read!
Truly magical, Sebbie. This is the old world and the modern world and the old times and the modern times mixed.
Since you moved across from MySpace, you’ve really taken pains to cultivate this new, mysterious American language you write in., You could see it back there – since ’08 or so it started to emerge but here you’re really finding new and personal meanings for these old threads and currents you have picked up. Where do they come from – surely this isn’t every day conversation for you?
love the bombazine cloak…googled it…cool symbolism in it..
Coulda shoulda woulda, Seb.
Omigosh, I love your voice! Haha, it’s awesome! =P
Btw, Seb, thanks so much for subscribing to my blog. I have a page with all of my peeps who are subscribed to my blog (http://yourdailydoseblog.com/2012/10/11/a-page-dedicated-to-my-readers-your-blogs-please-help-me-finish-it-by-describing-your-blog-in-10-words-or-less/) and I want to put a short description of each person’s blog next to their name. Should I put: “straightforward poems for straightforward people” for your blog or would you like something else instead?
Thanks!
Janice
Love the sound of this.
I hear music …