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kinquotepoem # 8
this being women’s history month
I give you a quote from my eldest
at perhaps two and a half for the first
time studying her own female mystery
she is naked bent over double
head between legs what are you doing
I ask she replies looking at my bottom
what does it look like I ask she replies
oh all broken in half a better poet than I
would now draw some philosophical
implications but I’ll leave it at that
© Jacqueline Jackson 2007
What does the Museum of Funeral Customs have that the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum doesn’t — besides the chocolate coffins in the gift shop? A poetry reading! The museum’s sixth annual poetry reading starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 24. It’s an interesting little museum at the edge of Oak Ridge Cemetery at 1440 Monument Ave. Personally, I think chocolate, poetry, and cemeteries are some of the best things in life. Should be a fabulous afternoon. Among the local poets presenting their work will be Anita Stienstra; she’ll be reading “Ash Wednesday.” — Carol Manley, guest editor.
Ash Wednesday
I placed you inconspicuously—
invisibly— inherently—
on my third eye like a palm vein print marking sadly this my Wednesday.
The day you died my Love on Thursday felt eternal—ethereal—
enveloped— in thoughts of you moments before your death, a sealed thing I can never open. Perhaps
Friday— replaces Friday—
days disappear turn into many Thursdays around Mondays—
and then more Mondays—
and months, and now it’s years.
It’s all incredibly—
inconceivably— inexplicably hard. I worry there in no dust to dust. I see all my Wednesdays with your metaphoric ashes. I’ve well cleansed the remorse and now starve on mortality.
Local poet Anita Stienstra is best known as the editor of Navigating the Maze, a literary annual that features work by high school students.
Send submissions to Jacqueline Jackson Presents People’s Poetry to poetry@illinoistimes.com or to Illinois Times, P.O. Box 5256, Springfield, IL 62705.
this being women’s history month
I give you a quote from my eldest
at perhaps two and a half for the first
time studying her own female mystery
she is naked bent over double
head between legs what are you doing
I ask she replies looking at my bottom
what does it look like I ask she replies
oh all broken in half a better poet than I
would now draw some philosophical
implications but I’ll leave it at that
© Jacqueline Jackson 2007
What does the Museum of Funeral Customs have that the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum doesn’t — besides the chocolate coffins in the gift shop? A poetry reading! The museum’s sixth annual poetry reading starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 24. It’s an interesting little museum at the edge of Oak Ridge Cemetery at 1440 Monument Ave. Personally, I think chocolate, poetry, and cemeteries are some of the best things in life. Should be a fabulous afternoon. Among the local poets presenting their work will be Anita Stienstra; she’ll be reading “Ash Wednesday.” — Carol Manley, guest editor.
Ash Wednesday
I placed you inconspicuously—
invisibly— inherently—
on my third eye like a palm vein print marking sadly this my Wednesday.
The day you died my Love on Thursday felt eternal—ethereal—
enveloped— in thoughts of you moments before your death, a sealed thing I can never open. Perhaps
Friday— replaces Friday—
days disappear turn into many Thursdays around Mondays—
and then more Mondays—
and months, and now it’s years.
It’s all incredibly—
inconceivably— inexplicably hard. I worry there in no dust to dust. I see all my Wednesdays with your metaphoric ashes. I’ve well cleansed the remorse and now starve on mortality.
Local poet Anita Stienstra is best known as the editor of Navigating the Maze, a literary annual that features work by high school students.
Send submissions to Jacqueline Jackson Presents People’s Poetry to poetry@illinoistimes.com or to Illinois Times, P.O. Box 5256, Springfield, IL 62705.
