14 lines X 2

I sent a pre-election sonnet of sorts to my friend Matt Hart.  He then did a most excellent Ted Berrigan on it. So here you have it, before and after.  Yay America!  Obamanos!

 

It Was Cold in the Country I Remember

November 3, 2008

 

The children imagine a fire in the yard.

They’re not yet old enough to read or remember. 

More stones and twigs on stones and twigs. 

Ears redden in early November 

winds of this could be. We’re drinking

beer beneath pecan trees repeating 

what we heard on NPR, non-sequitur being 

the new sequitur.  Like a train a coming.

Like Mahalia saying tell them

they don’t need their hats or coats

about the dream, Martin.  Tell them…

this could be.  Even the air votes

yes we can feel it from here, the fire

lit in minds.  On our skin.  To the sky.

 

 

The Country Was Amazing, I Remember

            November 5, 2008 

In the backyard, the children pretend to build a fire,

started in the minds.  On our skin.  To the sky.  

piling twigs and stones atop more twigs and stones. 

we can feel it from here, the fire

They are not yet old enough to read or remember.

 They don’t need their coats.    Say yes 

Ears redden in the early November winds of this could be

about the dream, Martin.  Tell them…

only proof that survival is moving. 

Mahalia standing up, saying Tell them

Grown-ups drink beer beneath pecan trees

or was that beer I hear a train a coming I hear

and repeat what we last heard on NPR,  non-sequitur

being the new sequitur, a new day rising…