Kitchen Song

my, un-orderly cupboard, empty white bowls included.

I awoke this morning thinking of poetry.  I sat on the couch last night reading poem after poem, sonnet after sonnet, in an attempt to choose my poem to memorize.  I think I have ended up with a new challenge, to narrow down my list.

I was an English major decades ago (only two!) back in college, and poetry classes were some of my favorites.  Now here I am two degrees later and in nursing school at a community college, at the same time falling in love with poetry all over again.

I have two definites on my list of poems I will memorize.  How many do think we can squeeze into our brains in one month?  So far, I have one by William Carlos Williams and a Shakespeare sonnet.  When I was looking up insights to my WCW poem online this morning, I stumbled upon this poet, Laura Kasischke.


Kitchen Song
by Laura Kasischke

The white bowls in the orderly
cupboards filled with nothing.

The sound
of applause in running water.
All those who've drowned in oceans, all
who've drowned in pools, in ponds, the small
family together in the car hit head on. The pantry

full of lilies, the lobsters scratching to get out of the pot, and God

being pulled across the heavens
in a burning car.

The recipes
like confessions.
The confessions like songs.
The sun. The bomb. The white

bowls in the orderly
cupboards filled with blood. I wanted

something simple, and domestic. A kitchen song.

They were just driving along. Dad
turned the radio off, and Mom
turned it back on.

I like the simplicity, the imagery, the way the darkness is there whether she wants it to be or not.

I immediately felt a kindred spirit to this woman in Michigan, sitting perhaps at a desk near a window writing.  I wonder what color her kitchen is?

-Melissa

This Is Just to Say

Backwards, and fierce.

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold


-William Carlos Williams, 1934

And also to say, it's July!  Memorize a poem month for me and Amy.  We capped off Bowling month with a final trip to Imperial Lanes last night.  We took the kids, Poo Poo Head was there and joined us for a couple games, and I bowled a turkey straight out of the gate.  It was a banner evening of bowling.

We spent way too much time trying to fit a free table we found on the corner into my kitchen.  It was so cute and retro, but after many attempts and cleaning behind appliances, it just never worked.  Upon our home improvement defeat, Amy was saying her goodbyes when we realized that we had not taken our picture for this month.

She came back in and we got to work.  We were inspired by a poem by Ogden Nash titled, "Reflections on Ice-Breaking."  It goes a little something like this:

Candy is dandy
but Liquor is quicker.

I have to say, it was a fun night.  It felt like the Holidays all over again.  Laughter and good tidings.  and one of our best monthly photo shoots yet.

I picked up a Norton Anthology of Poetry from Seattle Central yesterday.  I am hoping that I don't "lose' it like I did the mushroom book in April.  I had to buy the library a new copy and then I found this one in a bag in Tallulah's room.  Now I have this gem to commemorate Mushroom month.  Really? a tux and a horn and you're foraging for mushrooms?  What?

Yesterday, instead of reading my Anatomy & Physiology, I leafed through the poetry anthology.  Reading certain poems aloud in hopes to find one that "felt" right.  My kids thought I was crazy.  When don't they?  But I do think I found a few good ones.  Poems I remember from my undergrad.  Auden, WCW, DH Lawrence, TS Eliot.

Then, Amy introduced me to Dorothy Parker.  Amazing.  I'll save that one for tomorrow.

Until then,
Adieu

-Melissa