That’s something I should write a poem about
The words haunt me
like a tune that tickles
the back of your eyes
until you can’t see anything
but little cartoon guys
dancing on the hood of the car
and you are supposed to be driving
That’s something I should write a poem about
I said it two days ago
while we were driving
or walking or eating
no I think walking
it was something
that came up in the conversation
some incredibly cool
rich idea that spread itself
out for me
images symbols textures
I could feel it like
turkey stuffing steaming
pungent in a tureen
saying eat me
I want you to
my mother says
it’s all right
you can do
whatever you want
I’ll take off my clothes
look —
That’s something I should write a poem about
But it’s gone
like a bubble
from a soapy loop
like a dead puppy
a torn fingernail
That’s something I should write a poem about
I shoulda writtten it down
I have a little notebook
I bought for that
eventuality
and a pen too
And the little
notebook is
a reporter’s notebook as
favoured by Hemingway
and Picasso I think it said
but I didn’t have it
that’s why I am
giving you this note
to explain why
this homework
is not done
okay?
That’s something I should write a poem about
