Mercedes Lawry





You Must Put It Into Words


Blah blah blah, said the dog.
The crow was not happy about it.
The cat napped.
The raccoon longed for a cigarette.
The duck refused to acknowledge anyone.
The chicken would not shut up.
Blah blah blah, the dog repeated.
Thus, the weeks rolled on without refreshment.
On certain days the wind was fierce,
creating a heightened nervousness.
For some, this was a welcome change.
It was only when the dog failed to speak
that the rest became concerned about syllables,
articulation, diction, proper nouns
and the loss of control resulting from the babel.
Finally, another stepped forward and said
blah blah blah with almost the same gusto,
though he wore a mask and could not be identified.
The sense of relief was palpable
and life went on, fervent and ironic.




Mercedes Lawry has published poetry in such journals as Poetry, Rhino, Nimrod, Poetry East, Seattle Review, and others.  Her chapbook, There Are Crows in My Blood, was published by Pudding House Press, and another chapbook, Happy Darkness, is forthcoming from Finishing Line Press.  She has also published fiction, as well as stories and poems for children.  Among her honors are awards from the Seattle Arts Commission, Hugo House, and Artist Trust.  And she has been a Jack Straw Writer and held a residency at Hedgebrook.  Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Mercedes has lived in Seattle more than thirty years.










                                    

 

Home
Current Issue
Submissions
Contributors' Notes


Email this poem Printer friendly page



Bruce Bennett

Brent Calderwood

Ann Cale

Sarah Crossland

Philip Dacey

Tiffanie Desmangles

Moshe Dor on Rod Jellema

Lucia Galloway

Jane Ellen Glasser

Barbara Goldberg on Charles Simic

Joey Goodall

Heidi Hart

Richard Harteis

RJ Hooker

Glenn Irwin

Catherine Jagoe

LuAnn Keener-Mikenas

Jean L. Kreiling

Mercedes Lawry

Lyn Lifshin

Greg McBride on David Salner

Miles David Moore

Sherry O'Keefe

Jane Olmsted

Marie Pavlicek-Wehrli

Simon Perchik

Kathleen Radigan

Oliver Rice

David Salner

Lynda Self

Peter Serchuk

Janice D. Soderling

Ellen Steinbaum

Tim Suermondt

Kim Cope Tait

Brigit Truex

Michael J. Whelan

Leonore Wilson

More

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

 


Last Updated: Feb 22, 2020 - 12:30:13 PM

Copyright 2005 - 2020 Cook Communication.