Poem of the Week

Hello, lady people! Pigeons are good.

Winter is good. Stoolpigeons are good -

though they're in league with the government,

trying to kill all spontaneity.

Hello everyone! Time to start losing.

Losing is good. Losing is what we came

here to do, and it's going quite well,

thanks for asking.

This morning I was passed by a minivan,

"Someday" printed on the vanity plate.

I wonder what she meant? "Someday soon,

goin' with you" or "I'm gonna get out of

here someday?" or "Someday my prince,

or a real rain's going to come."

Given the words in advance, it

might all be easier. Interpretation -

that's where the problems start.

Take counterpane, for an example.

Sounds like a magician's con,

a glass counter you'd bounce coins

off, but really it means something

comforting - a blanket to keep you warm.

Coins bounce off the counterpane

and under that blanket, where they exist

now in the mind only, and so will multiply

at my request. Nothing too greedy,

enough for coffee and a newspaper,

somewhere I can look for a job, anything

to reverse the recent downturn.

People like people who stand for things.

Like Shakespeare arrived at Ellis Island with

a trussed-up suitcase and the equivalent of

$3.50 in badly out-of-date currency.

And look where he ended up.

A real job - I'd like that.

People like people who have jobs.

People like people who stand for things.