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