American Sentences in Search of a Train
For Pam Campbell
The morning’s ritual in darkness: Can the trudge to the bathroom wait?
Bliss before the sentinel screeches from bedside; breeze brings morning’s kiss.
Dream: a plane lands on a Denver thoroughfare, stops at all bus kiosks.
Wynken, Blynken, Nod agree to sail in new verse as Lex, Po and Mo.
Birth dirge, emerge! Sickness, sorrow and despair/ and the Leader’s orange hair.
Recission: Legal becomes an evil knife, trimming Big Bird’s feathers.
Coffee, toast and sunrise await the train and I hear its whistling now.
14 thoughts on "American Sentences in Search of a Train"
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Absolutely love this!
Seriously playful and wonderful.
“Wynken, Blynken, Nod agree to sail in new verse as Lex, Po and Mo.”
I dropped my phone.
From the title on through, just marvelous. I read and reread and each time found a new spot to be in awe. So creative!!
I’m ready to ride a train through your writing!
Sickness, sorrow and despair
and the Leader’s orange hair!
Great opening to draw us down through your thinking. Excellent commentary, really love “Legal becomes and evil knife”
I am honored, my friend! And laughing!
Adore: Wynken, Blynken, Nod agree to sail in new verse as Lex, Po and Mo.
Birth dirge, emerge! Sickness, sorrow and despair/ and the Leader’s orange hair.
All the senses rolled in this line: “I can taste the coffee and toast, see sun rising, and hear the train.” lol, all of which I do in search for my American Sentences seeking a seat on the train going somewhere!
Pam, more than once, you are my inspiration! Thank you!
This was so delightful capturing both the horrors of today with humor and grace! Loved it.
What a great idea, Greg! I want to board the last line’s train.
What a delightful poem–full of humor and yet acknowledging the current horrors in our country.
Shew: “Legal becomes an evil knife, trimming Big Bird’s feathers.”
Oh, my goodness! There is so much to “unpack” in this poem. I’m going to print it out to go through it multiple times. You’ve got that title that feels rather “classical,” and then you immediately hit me with that relateable first line. LoL I love the bedside sentinel. Weaving in pop culture (leader’s orange hair), and the present moment with Lex, Po, and Mo.
Huzzah! A wonderful poem!
Thanks, E.E., the title is up for grabs, I guess–and my friend Pam Campbell may have something to suggest, but I find the American Sentence a challenging way to write, and I’m struggling, like all of us, to craft something about the present moment.
I think you get the present moment in there very well, Greg. I mean, who else could the “leader’s orange hair” refer to?! Loved/hated “legal becomes the evil knife…” Great line, sad you had to write it.
agree with all of the above and, for tone, love the allusion to Pirandello in the title