Augorophobia
august
scorched lawns
trees turn brown with fright
holidays and beaches
and reparing to the cool
august
oppressive, painful despair
inside looking out
mugged breathe sweats
air of the great outdoors
cats sullen
blue jays drop their jays
crows to beat to caw
august
let me out of here
august
my mind curled like rock
drugged and writhing
soul up there at rest
in the crook of the old oak tree
Copyright © 1998 by Marilyn McIntyre, All rights reserved
***
Horns of Life
It was evening and the first
of the horns could be heard
In the distance
And my brother Aaron barely sixteen
Was going out with a friend
And Aaron would be driving
And I’d be left alone
At home
My parents were going out
Too
And just as he was leaving
Aaron said
Would you like to come with
And oh boy would I
And so I sat in back
Aaron driving
Irving next him.
And first we went to a movie
And then for a fairly long drive
And we stopped somewhere for hot dogs,
And I loved the sound of horns in the distance,
As though announcing the best New Years of my life
And now of my thoughts
With Aaron long dead
And all of my friends
And I think of the horns
Echoing over Aaron’s grave
I only wish
He could hear them
Oh if he could hear them
With me.
***Photo from the caves in Lascaux in southwestern France
From Brad Paisley Songs
From Brad Paisley Songs
There are poets in the south
I know the rest of you think of us
like we think of you
nuts in a nutshell
but there are poets in the south
and artists
and musicians
and athieists and philosophers
and theologians
oh yes we have those
and guns
and some good and many bad ways of thinking
just like you
just like everybody everywhere
You have your Billy Bob’s
We have ours
We’re proud of ours
The kitchen table is universal
Thank you Brad Paisley for making me proud of where I live. I’d miss these crazy people who never seem to stop trying to save my soul, talking crazy about Hillary taking their damn guns, eating the meat and three, finding some crazy internet bible myth, and quoting radio talk shows.
