Barnard College Reunion, May 29th, 2015
A group of Barnard alumnae and spouses in a room. I surprise them (or perhaps they predicted it) with notebooks and fifteen minutes to write poems. I warned them about the last line–that subway riders (and all on-the-spot poets) tend to overwork the last line, try to hard, or change the rules. Mary nailed this one. Take a look at the paper. She thought to keep going, and then let it rest. The last line deferred.
architecture poetry
the texture of the arch
becomes a poem in her eye
the smell of a tower of a
plain taupe wall.
here’s a pen, here’s a blank
here’s an overflowing mind
spilling onto paper again
the waterfall release
the exhaled words splashing
all over your eyes
here, this, is for you
a birthday gift
my solemn laughing wish
another dancing prayer.
your celebration
deferred