Departure. Arrival. Return.
by Bill Yarrow
I.
I am leaving my body: to science,
for a while, for another woman.
I am leaving on a jet plane.
I am leaving in the morning. I am
leaving for parts unknown. I am
leaving but the fighter still remains.
I am taking off on my own, in my
own way, leaving the door unlocked
leaving the dog in the car.
I am leaving for Las Vegas.
I am leaving Las Vegas. I am
leaving for pastures new.
II.
I have arrived. Wow! Look at
this place! The clouds are
leaning on the sky like winos
against the Thalia. The birds
dot the bare trees like ringworm
on a cow. The sun is resting
on the hill like the final drop
of Thomas Hardy's blood.
III.
I have come back and my bones
are delighted to see me. I encircle
the bakery. I embrace my barber.
I endorse my bank. I am so
happy to walk these wizened
streets, to sup from the civic
trough, to race my horse again
around the calcified church.
Put down your bazooka, Marianne.
Like rusting sumac to the staghorn
aphid, I've come serenely home.
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Author's Note
This poem appeared in FRiGG.
It also appears in Blasphemer (Lit Fest Press 2015).
You should throw in an Early Morning Rain reference in the first poem.
"Put down your bazooka, Marianne." Hail yes! *
Splendid.
*
Makes sense to me. Arch, pivot, return. Nice!
*.
Surreal: "I have come back and my bones
are delighted to see me. I encircle
the bakery. I embrace my barber.
I endorse my bank."
Great imagery. Good piece. Yes. *
A grand entertainment.
Thank you, SDR, Mat, Emily, Amanda, Smiley, Sam, and Gary!
I remember this poem well!
It's so dang good, it hurts
Thanks for it, and the others, Bill.
Excellent work *
*I would cite favorite lines, but I'd have to copy and paste the whole poem.
Thank you, Dennis, John, and Nonnie!
There must be fifty ways to return to a lover. *
*
Thanks Bill. Lively, original. Made me smile again and again. Jaw-dropping, wow, imagery. A little daunting, frankly, but in a good way. Sort of. ;)
Haha, I agree with Nonnie about pasting the entire poem to cite favorite line. Still, really love the clever, amusing:
"The clouds are
leaning on the sky like winos
against the Thalia."
"The clouds are
leaning on the sky like winos
against the Thalia."
Excellent.
Thanks, Beate, Emily, Dianne, Ed,and Darryl! I appreciate all your comments.
This is beautiful. And surprising. And reassuring. And returns ordinary in an ordained way. *
Thank you, Ann! Great comment!
The entire poem is great but I especially love the first stanza. *
Hi, Charlotte! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have come back to my bones as well. They have not been delighted to see me. *
Great comment, Larry! Thanks!