a new poem
After reading John’s comment on his blog it got me thinking and remembering and I put together this little poem, which i feel pretty good about. I also have to give a nod to Hannah who suggested the novel whose name i used for my new poem. I also have to thank John for getting the registration up and going so if you have tried to make comments and couldn’t register, it now works, comment away.
A Good and Happy Child
Standing in the back
At the little clapboard church
In oversized rubber boots
And muddy from mushrooming
I felt ashamed and out of place
That I was dirty and poor
And my daddy was drunk
And he didn’t believe
In this shit anymore.
John was there too
And we never talked about
What we were feeling
But I bet his was
Anger and not shame
He was three years older
And his boots fit too
And he didn’t have a potbelly
He was trim like Dad
he coulda been a rider
For the Pony Express
But it was the wrong 70s
No doubt about that
And we both heard
That we were sinners
And I think we both believed
It was the LaSalle Gospel Tabernacle
A box of good news
Cuz this sinner
Learned to feel bad
And hence how to feel
And that sinner
Learned to spurn
The admiration of god and man
And hence how to be free
Multiconstruct 
Hey Mike,
Excellent poem…I remember that night. Were we out collecting mushrooms that day? I don’t recall…was it with Ernie Bell?
I hadn’t thought of it in years…
It would be interesting to hear what others think of the poem, as a stand alone thing…
–john
I didn’t really recall what we were doing just that i was all muddy, i was pretty young, 5 or 6 i think. When i am writing about stuff often i just make up details i don’t recall, figuring on some level it may be correct. man, i haven’t remembered Ernie Bell in years, he was a cool old dude. I’ve been getting good feedback on the poem from people who weren’t there but i would be curious to hear more comments.