I am going to, as I have a time or two before, default to one of my friend Lee McCormack's poems. It's one he recently posted on Facebook, where I usually find them, and felt was particularly appropriate to the time of year.
I can't refer to him as the poet laureate of Martha's Vineyard any more, as they recently chose a new poet laureate, to serve a two-year term: Arnie Reisman. Here is the announcement, as posted on Facebook:
"The Martha's Vineyard Poetry Society has selected Mr. Arnie Reisman as our island's next Martha's Vineyard Poet Laureate.
Mr. Reisman is an award-winning writer, producer, and performer. For decades his work has appeared on television, radio, film, in various publications. and theatre. Since 1996 he and his wife, Paula Lyons, have been regular panelists on NPR's Says You!, - the weekly comedy quiz show airing in over 120 markets. Over the past 25 years, Mr. Reisman has served as writer-producer and on-air performer/commentator at Boston TV stations WCVB (ABC) and WGBH (PBS). At present also writes a column, The Washashore Chronicles, for the Vineyard Gazette. Mr. Reisman is a recent inductee into the Cleaveland House Poets - the oldest (50-years) and most successful poetry group in island history.
Mr. Reisman replaces Lee McCormack, who recently served as our island's first MVPL. Two years ago, Mr. Reisman was a Martha's Vineyard Poet Laureate finalist from a field of twenty-seven poets judged by ten judges from the Martha's Vineyard Poetry Society.
A celebration party is planned for October 7."
I guess I'll have to refer to Lee now as "poet laureate emeritus" or something like that.
Find his poem, as well as a link to it on Facebook with accompanying image, below the orange squiggly dingbat. And thank you, to those of you who do, for stopping by to read the latest offerings here.
Kalliope
Means "beautiful voice" from Greek καλλος (kallos) "beauty" and οψ (ops) "voice". In Greek mythology she was a goddess of epic poetry and eloquence, one of the nine Muses.
Join us every Tuesday afternoon at the Daily Kos community political poetry club.
Your own poetry is always welcome in the comments.
Bongos, berets & turtle neck sweaters optional.
The keyboard is mightier than the sword.
Between Seasons
The heartbeat skipped
lingers longer than the rest:
fulfillment without prophecy
it is everything inexplicable,
in a body of dirt and water and ash
a silence containing every sound,
the shadow behind a shadow,
a bottomless black in black. . .
The space between what is
said and what is heard,
it is the stammer of surprise
that arrives between
intention and reaction,
the irregular synapse
and awkward syntax
of invisible molecular motion,
an unspoken word that
in the body remains,
a fallen leaf leaving
the darkened history
of its life imprinted
in a negative stain
like a footprint
in the grass.
LHM © 2014
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