I'm going out tonight to hear the U.S. Poet Laureate, Natasha Trethewey, read from her poetry and speak a bit at our downtown library. And you thought this post was going to be inappropriate, didn't you? HA! I just thought I'd throw a wrench in, seeing that I've spent the last day or so ranting and raving about health insurance. I haven't been out at night for weeks and will be meeting a friend and having drinks beforehand. I know nothing of Trethewey or her poetry, so I'm excited. I found this poem online and liked it.
Vespertina Cognito
Overhead, pelicans glide in threes—
their shadows across the sand
dark thoughts crossing the mind.
Beyond the fringe of coast, shrimpers
hoist their nets, weighing the harvest
against the day's losses. Light waning,
concentration is a lone gull
circling what's thrown back. Debris
weights the trawl like stones.
All day, this dredging—beneath the tug
of waves—rhythm of what goes out,
comes back, comes back, comes back.
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Natasha Trethewey, via Poets.org
I like this poem. A lot. Hope you enjoy your night out!
ReplyDeleteenjoy!
ReplyDelete1. I hope you have a marvelous time.
ReplyDelete2. Is that poet from around here?
She is originally from the Gulf Coast in Mississipi but lives now in Atlanta and teaches at Emory University. She is married to a history professor at Emory as well and is moving to D.C. to take up her duties as poet laureate.
DeleteI like your photograph. I visited you thanks to the blog roll on Suburban Matron. Thanks, Star
ReplyDeleteA welcome respite for you from insurance woes!
ReplyDeleteHope it was a fabulous evening! I love the photo with your head as a ball of brilliant light. Truth, you know.
ReplyDeleteWell, you slut you! Poetry! A night out with a friend! What a treat, Elizabeth. Thanks for sharing the poem, too. I am a poetry voyeur. I hope you had a lovely - and very satisfying - evening.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a great way to get a thrill :)
ReplyDeletelove the poem - I can see it