Friday, July 18, 2008

POETRY FRIDAY: So This Is Nebraska



I haven’t been blogging as much as usual lately. Other things have occupied my time--including the cleaning of my basement. It was time to throw out old things that have been cluttering the other side of this level where I have my library/office.

I went looking for a poem to post at Blue Rose Girls this morning--and Ted Kooser’s So This Is Nebraska caught my poetic fancy. I like Kooser’s images and details, the way he describes the barns--and his feelings.


SO THIS IS NEBRASKA
By Ted Kooser

The gravel road rides with a slow gallop
over the fields, the telephone lines
streaming behind, its billow of dust
full of the sparks of redwing blackbirds.

On either side, those dear old ladies,
the loosening barns, their little windows
dulled by cataracts of hay and cobwebs
hide broken tractors under their skirts.

So this is Nebraska. A Sunday
afternoon; July. Driving along
with your hand out squeezing the air,
a meadowlark waiting on every post.

You can read the rest of the poem here.

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At Wild Rose Reader, I have an original poem entitled Popsicle.

Kelly Fineman has the Poetry Friday Roundup.

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3 comments:

Karen Edmisten said...

Love Ted Kooser, but then, I'm partial to Nebraska. :-)

Andromeda Jazmon said...

What slow, peaceful images. "Larklike over the wheat". Thanks for posting this!

Libby Koponen said...

I love the image of the old barns, especially -- and "those dear old ladies," what a great way of putting it!
Thanks for this: both poem and poet are new to me.