the ballad-singer

I.

i lust after mountains,
the curtained waterfalls and trees
the rolling grass, after the milk
from the sore udders of brown-speckled cows,
thick corn-rows, the threshing
of pregnant grain, i weep
over share-croppers gleaning,
the wind on their face,
weather-beaten and hard,
their backs stiff as ropes
and canes

II.

i lust after loneliness,
after the wide, sweeping city streets
and their dead in garbage bags,
the demolition of that hollowness,
after the fireworks died,
up the white-metal buildings
on New Year's eve,

III.

i lust after the aching
of my wounds in-between a diary's pages
tucked safely underneath my clothes,
i hope to lose the moon, completely,
i won't need eyes to feel all these,
except my knees, rooted at the bend
of a road, skipping whole towns

 

Reviews

[barleygirl]

I can't say I understand this poem in its entirety . . . that is to say, I love each stanza, but can't really see the connective tissue that brings them together into a whole. Regardless, this poem is very original & arresting in it's message & word choices. First stanza: interesting to see what an "island person" sees as being "mountains" (here in the US, milk cows aren't usually found in the mountains, most are too steep & snowy) -- it's always good to expand our assumptions about what a mountain looks like! (as well as many other aspects of life) . . . Second stanza: love your dreary description of cleaning up after a celebration & this being NEW YEAR (full of promise, starting anew, etc.) makes it even more powerful a message. Third stanza: Love the first half, love the way you describe hiding our hurts, so true . . . but I don't really understand the last half. Looking forward to reading more of you.

[highonwords]

hi barley girl -

the poem is kinda unwieldy, since the first stanza delves on yearning for a country life - in my town, a province, actually, you could see the mountain and then stretches of rolling grass beyond with cows - the second stanza tells about the disconnection some people feel living in the city - i'd settle even for loneliness, if only i could feel something, rather than get use to it - become a member of the 'numb' crowd - the third stanza tells the reader the subject in the poem wants to be alone to make sense of what is happening around her/him - his place in society - 'on my knees' signifies a deep need for introspection - i hope this helps - thank you so much for the review and the visit - perhaps i'll smoothen the rough edges until the poem comes in a better shape

my best to you,
steph

[barleygirl]

This is a great explanation . . . in fact, it describes my life, going from city to country living.