Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Kelley White- Two Poems


The verses tell the story/
The chorus tells you what it’s supposed to mean
 
Or—
the verses climb the mountain
they spin ten twining twisting paths
and the chorus is the summit
the sun that bursts through the clouds
at the peak
 
No—
that’s not it at all
not the sun and the clouds—that’s too predicable
that’s the problem with a song
the lyrics can be damn trite
unless you’re a young Bob Dylan
 
So—
I guess it’s the music
that’s supposed to make things subtle
that’ll fill in for whispers
and what you’re mother and your sister knew
 
OK—
you’ve followed along this far
the verses tell the story
the chorus tells you what it’s supposed to mean
 
Yes—
like Sally got this call Tuesday.
young man said “Gramma. I need your help.”
and she said “Nick” See, she doesn’t have
a grandson but she did have this sort of step-
grandson once, only he never called her Gramma,
only Gram, but, “Nick” and he said “Yes,
Gramma, I’m in trouble. . .
and pretty soon she’s got her checkbook out
 
That’s the chorus—
‘and pretty soon she’s got her checkbook out
and she’s writing $5000 dollars Cash
on the dotted line’
 
See—
the verses tell the story
and we’re ready to fill in what we need it
to mean
 
 
 
Within
 
what I thought was a perfect feather
was just your letter twisting in the wind
I thought you wrote forever
--just scraps torn in the wind--
and a little bird had caught them
wove them in her nest with spit and sin

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