Here’s a seasonal poem from Springfield, Ill. poet Lola Lucas. Her comments about the poem: “Seems like America has
gone mad for zombies. My theory is that they represent a chance to relax and
not worry about appearance, time, success or any of the responsibilities that
life entails. As for the local angle, it’s the season for outraged letters to
the editor about leaf burning or not being allowed to burn leaves, a perennial Springfield topic.”
Besieged
Dead things, discolored, brittle, Mindless yet still moving They slap against my windows, Shuffle, crowd near my door. Their numbers growing, They jostle in my yard, waiting. I have nightmares Of being covered in them, The dry parts detaching, Tangling in my hair, Crumbling into my mouth. The smell of decay grows stronger: I want fire, fire,
to burn them all! Desperate, I lunge for the phone — Dammit, God dammit, Where is the guy Who usually rakes these leaves?? Lola Lucas Lucas has
been published in a string of literary magazines such as the Alchemist Review, Prairie
Poetry, Solana and Watermarks. Her first
book of collected columns about Springfield in
general and Enos Park in particular is At Home in the Park: Loving a Neighborhood
Back to Life (available through Amazon.com). She is at work on a second
book.
If you have a poem that you’ve written and would like us to consider for People’s Poetry, email the poem and a short bio to astienstra@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Oct 17-23, 2013.
