In an effort to get people to look
into each other’s eyes more,
and also to appease the mutes,
the government has decided
to allot each person exactly one hundred
and sixty-seven words, per day.
When the phone rings, I put it to my ear
without saying hello. In the restaurant
I point at chicken noodle soup.
I am adjusting well to the new way.
Late at night, I call my long distance lover,
proudly say I only used fifty-nine today.
I saved the rest for you.
When she doesn’t respond,
I know she’s used up all her words,
so I slowly whisper I love you
thirty-two and a third times.
After that, we just sit on the line
and listen to each other breathe.
By Jeffrey McDaniel, from The Forgiveness Parade. Copyright © 1998 by Jeffrey McDaniel( found on www.poetryfoundation.org)
P.S. - Thanks Giridhar for sharing this one with me. Lovely poem indeed!
very beautiful! Thank you for sharing this....
ReplyDeleteCredit where it is due Priti, Giridhar shared it with me, I just posted it up here :-) He has read far more poetry than me, too late for me to even thinking of catching up :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd you have read far more poetry than I have:) I don't even contemplate catching up with anyone ... far more important what your reading does to you and what you do with it....I thank Giridhar.
ReplyDeleteAgree 100% with you Priti, thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteAnd Kanav's probably read more than all of us combined....
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should form a club called AAB - The Always Already Behind-hand! Or would you prefer the non-standard cry-of-regret AAA - Always already arreared? :-)
(And, yes, I'm reading the book, Priti)