When your fun is done
And she goes home
And you are left alone,
Do you consider
Her youth
And that perfect figure?
Perhaps you consider
The truth:
How lack of finance
Or other mischance
Leads her to dance
With a rake
Who, fearful of dust
Takes, in lust
A young woman who
Needs your wealth,
But holds in contempt
You and herself.
Were we lovers of a kind?
There was no answering spark
In your heart.
While in mine I find
A rhyme of your first time
Bought through art.
You were kind.
And I too was kind
For you and I both knew
Just what you
Felt you had to do.
Your need to feed,
And mine for women and wine.
No return of texts
For you were never mine.
These autumn leaves
Remind me
Of my mortality.
Winter’s knife
Chops down life.
And trees
In spring bring
Forth leaves
And I recall
We all
Are of earth
And turf.
She says, “soon I will stop this”.
“Why do I engage
With a girl only half my age?.
Must I forever kiss
Lips which yearn to turn from me?
I am no devil
And perhaps at a certain level
She likes me.
In her deep sleep I see
Her in her vulnerability
And find the tenderness in me.
There is no true bliss
In her reluctant kiss.
But gold may hold sway
Tomorrow as with today.”
In my frayed old dressing gown I found
A broken hairband.
I know not where
I met her.
Names I forget.
But this broken hairband commands reflection and regret
For her and all those before.
And others, if there are more
I said
To my friend
That the waitress
Was aloof.
Perhaps shy.
But the truth
Is I
Wanted bed.
I recently read this fascinating article in the business magazine Forbes, by Stephanie Denning, entitled “Does Poetry Have a Place in Business” https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephaniedenning/2018/04/06/does-poetry-have-a-place-in-business-one-unsung-success-secret/.
In the article Denning argues that those who read poetry develop their imaginations and imagination is an important factor in driving successful business.
I believe that poetry is valuable in and of itself. It is not merely a utilitarian means to the end of good business practice. Denning accepts this, but contends that reading poetry is also valuable in driving business success.
I have never worked in a business environment (other than selling and promoting my books), and would be interested to hear the views of any readers who have (or are) employed in business. Why does poetry matter to you? Or why does it not matter? Or you merely indifferent to it?
Sitting on this fallen log
With my dog
Nearby, I touch the reality
Of this tree,
Which once stood
In this Great North Wood.
It’s brother trees still stand
Their canopy shading me
From the evening sun.
Others will come
And sit or stand
In this place
When this old fallen tree
And you who
Now read me
Have vanished without trace.
I scent new-mown grass
As I pass
Along the churchyard path.
And remembering Gray
Who passed that way
Consider clay
And grass.
On Monday 17 July, I was interviewed by Ariadne Sawyer of Vancouver Co-op Radio’s the World Poetry Reading Series. For a podcast of my interview, during which I talked about my poetry and read several of my poems, please visit, https://www.mixcloud.com/VictorSchwartzman/world-poetry-cafe-for-july-20-with-kevin-morris-and-carmen-militano/.
I listened back to the podcast using Google Chrome. However, other browsers should also work.
My thanks to Ariadne for her kindness in interviewing me.
K Morris - Poet 