*First, Emergency Room
When it’s
you r
heart
you go.
To the front!
Of the line,
the idea,
is to carry.
It’s nothing.
That, you
–flat-out
say–
* A Cento, consisting of the first lines from the initial two poems
and a portion of the third in Suzanne Cleary’s
newly released book, The Odds
29 thoughts on "*First, Emergency Room"
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I like the way the composition mirrors the sort of unsteady beat that would send one to the emergency room in the first place. Also the way “flat-out” is reminiscent of “flatline,” another heart condition that would provoke emergency services.
Thank.you so much for seeing the shaping …..yes, oui sí yah …lol
Thank-you
L. Coyne analyzed this poem perfectly!
❤️
She always has such great reads! I agree. Strong work, Coleman.
Thank you Jeremy ❤️
I like how the ‘you’ separated from the bolded ‘r’ caused me to pause and feel the emphasis of the word drawn out.
Thanks for seeing that.
As you know Pam qith these short ones it sometimes is difficult to process the story.
Great book! It came this afternoon and we got a huge surprise that she did an after poem off a dear friend Colleen Creamer’s article.
She didn’t know and we had a lot of fun telling her.
Yes in the short ones it is difficult to process the story so have to get inventive. Well done!
I’ll check out Suzanne Cleary’s book you referenced.
😀
The form definitely conveys the urgency. Beautifully done!
Thank you H.A. ❤️
Very nice. It’s always a pleasure to experience what you do with form. This one’s no exception.
Thank you Bill.
That makes it totally worth it.
😀
I really like hesitations
and mistarts
just like an emergency
Room.
Jim, so glad you see that.
It’s always a tumbling crapshot…
Thanknyou for commenting.
” we know a plate goes on a table. A , _late-ta_le…..turns gently around the labial pb and there is a nice diagonally treat for us kids.”
Wonderful, Coleman!
Plus you spelled “it’s” correctly! 😏
Oh overlord of the sky Comma’s.
I will meet the challenge.
Lololol
Of course you had to spell it “Comma’s,” just to fuck with me… 😏
Lololololololololololol
Apos’traphobia’s’s
Love you so much…..lol
I’m drawn in by the spacing, not only of words but letters. The poem looks so simple at first blush, but it challenges the reader. It’s clever and even visually beautiful.
Lee, you are so…..
Just Thank-you!!!
Your capacity to read both skies
and your support and encouragement have been a blessing.
Always.
❤️
Coleman – Your heart carries through in each poem you write! Here, the irregularity, the hesitation, even the line “to the front! work so well. I remember going to the ER once, stumbling around, but when I mentioned the word “heart,” I was scooped into a wheelchair and whisked down the hallway like it was the Indy 500.
Thank-you so much for reading and sharing your story too.
When linda had her stroke the same thing happened ……indy 500 is perfect analogy. The doctor qith thw wheelchair actually beat me back to the car.
Thanks again for the wonderment of this month. A privilege to be in class with you 😀
This so captured my pace maker experience. All the devices, poetic and medical, worked so well
Thank you for saying that Larry…
I wasn’t sure it worked but I think with the feedbacks it’s a keeper worth developing.
Thanks and …..lololol…
.we love your heart.
This is a perfect piece: mysterious and precise and thoughtful. The spacing feels modern and combines with the spirit of the text perfectly
You’ve captured triage and the urgency that comes with it very well in this cento!
What a powerful cento–the words you’ve chosen and the way they’re arranged on the page.