I am not from Kentucky
but a commonwealth transplant
with no knowledge of brackets from birth.
My “bury” rhymes with “furry” not with “ferry”
and my “Versailles” now counts five consonants.
I’ve spent Ale-8-One* or two trying to wrap
my mind around a trifecta and the fact
that I have “state”-mates living on the Mississippi.
But I am from LexPoMo, where poetry
is throned and stanzas stride in greatest
honesty—melody and wisdom treasured
like a magic pen. In June, who wouldn’t choose
to muse and fuse in centos
to count the syllables and stresses
to free the Cowboy from his sentence?
Alas, these thirty days will end before
we’ve said it all, and I’ll go back
to where my voice stands out,
wait there these long eleven months
till we sing again. Together.
* A Late One
20 thoughts on "I am not from Kentucky"
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Proud to have you as a “state”-mate in poetry and geography.
Love this from one transplant and Phillies fan to another. You have captured so much feeling and motion in these words.
❤️
I adore this one! All the little embedded KY things and the specifics of this year’s poetry month!
sound like a kentuckian
to me.
great poems this month
Absolutely beautiful! This poem places a beautiful bow on the gift of your poetry. Thanks for sharing with us, Nancy. From one out-of-stater to another. 💜
What Roberta said.
Glad to clainm you as sister/friend 💜
Well done! “My “bury” rhymes with “furry” not with “ferry”
and my “Versailles” now counts five consonants.”
Good poem! Nor am I originally from Kentucky, but it’s now home and LexPoMo is one of the “biscuits” of home. Loved writing with you and 300+ this year.
I too, am a transplant though my ancestral roots are deeply seeded. I love the way we find each other… Lovely piece!
What a magical wrap up! Outsider as well, although I’ve never been baptized in the Ale-8 tradition yet. You have spun such amazing words/poems this June. I’m your groupie.
like a magic pen. In June, who wouldn’t choose
to muse and fuse in centos
to count the syllables and stresses
to free the Cowboy from his sentence? – yes!!
Excellent poem to end this month long community!
I’m helpless against the allure of Ale 8 1 and your poems, Nancy 😏
What a wonderful poem to wrap up LexPoMo with! The sounds are wonderful. And such a hopeful ending.
love the play with the sound play of Ale-8-One as “A Late One.”
😀
What a perfect closer, Nancy! Love the lines: “But I am from LexPoMo, where poetry / . . . / is throned and stanzas stride in greatest / honesty—“
Be well till we meet again next June
“Till we sing again”–I’m already looking forward to it. Thank you for the kind words and inspiration this year.
“But I am from LexPoMo, where poetry / is throned and stanzas stride in greatest / honesty” gave me chills! I love every single line of this! The playful rhythm, the local landmarks, and the beautiful tribute to our thirty days of community. I hope to see you on a zoom again, hear more of your poetry! 💙✨
This poem sounds like the perfect end! Love, love this stanza:
like a magic pen. In June, who wouldn’t choose
to muse and fuse in centos
to count the syllables and stresses
to free the Cowboy from his sentence?
Wish I had been around more, but I loved it when I was!
Reading this, I feel like we are heroes ending a quest. You beautifully capture the spirit of Lexpomo, and I’m happy to have spent this June with you and all of these lovely poets, be they from Kentucky or otherwise. Until next year, farewell💛
Thank you for checking in, and for sharing your beautiful work all month long…
Indeed: “I am from LexPoMo, where poetry
is throned and stanzas stride in greatest
honesty—melody and wisdom treasured
like a magic pen.”