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Introducing The Poem I am Living with Today

Have you ever read “Kora in Hell” by William Carlos Williams? It was an experiment that stands out in his catalogue. On the top of the page is the poem; on the bottom of the page, his thoughts.

I was thinking of a new feature called “The Poem I am Living with Today.” It would be kind of like that…the poem, and then the thoughts on the poem, which could be a conversation amongst readers.

I was thinking we could start with this one:

 

sunday afternoon
as the ball game ends
geese return to the outfield

 

– Alan Pizzarelli

This Post Has 12 Comments

  2. could be . . . back in antiquity the site of the ballpark

    was a habitat for geese & those who returned to the outfield
    were instinctually visiting that sacred place of their ancestors.
    how’s that for profound mister wilson ?

    grahm

  3. In reference to Mr. Wilson’s comment, in my opinion a haiku doesn’t have to be profound to be interesting. Some ideas that may inhabit this haiku are the ideas of co-existence, of shared space, of taking turns. Since the person in the haiku making the observation is lingering beyond the end of the game, it also has the feeling of “lazing on a sunny afternoon,” to quote the Kinks.

    Is the observing person in the haiku both a baseball fan and a nature lover? If a child of that person were a participant in the game, they likely would have left when the game is over, so it does raise the question of who is making the observation.

    I also agree with the observation that if geese frequent the area used as the outfield, it’s going to be pretty messy underfoot out there, so it makes me wonder if this is an actual observation or an imagined one. Not that there is anything wrong with an imagined one per se, but an imagined one does need to have at least the illusion of reality.

  4. the beautiful orchestration of all things
    not by man or god but in the unpredictable flow
    of a last inning and that slow defeated stroll back to the dugout
    or maybe it was a victory and the revelers have all wandered away
    in time just as a goose lifts its wings to land
    in a section of still untrodden grass
    signaling to the others: here.

    (Gene, wrote this using your prompt after re-reading Alan’s poem)
    –Peter

  5. Ha! If the outfield is anything like the lawns frequented by the numerous geese in my neck of the woods then hopefully the outfielders have scraped their cleats before entering the clubhouse.

  7. Great idea… it’s funny you picked a William Carlos Williams poem because all day long I’ve been thinking of his poem:

    so much depends
    upon

    the red wheel
    barrow

    glazed with rain
    water

    beside the white
    chickens

    ~~~ I keep trying to think what is truly my “red wheel”… what fills my “barrow”… what am I spending the days of my life doing…. Lately I haven’t had the time I require to contemplate these things… and it’s time. This poem also makes me think of time, of the world state, of thirst, and the white space ….

  8. I think this is a great idea. Looking forward to seeing and reading more.

    Don
    Baird

  9. What a wonderful poem. A thought, a moment, wrapped up as a little present. Beautiful.

    With sincerest apologies, and prompted by Carlos’ comment, a variation.

    Friday afternoon
    As second grade recess ends
    Geese return for the weekend

  10. Great idea, Gene.

    I like the poet’s choice of day, the shared use of what likely would be a meadow under other circumstances (i.e. in the past and, perhaps, in the future), the commingling of animals and animals. Nice.

    Don

  11. More of an observation that leaves little for a reader to interpret. I suggest less words in order to unearth a surplus of meaning, contrasting the high and the low.

  12. Excellent poem. Very subtle. If I know Al, this is no desku. This actually happened, and Al was there to witness it. Bravo!

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