Instead of scuffing around
with a coffee cup
looking for inspiration
in the way the wind pushes the upper branches
of the poplars just so -
Instead of waiting for that idea
to drop in your brain,
stretch its spidery legs and
tickle the synaptic junctions
until you trip over yourself,
spilling coffee,
as you rush to your
chair and deliver the gem to your computer.
If only ideas came in the mail like
other things do -
a pair of red, leather gloves,
a hand-painted end table,
bare-rooted rosebushes,
a honey cake.
If ideas came in the mail
they'd be sealed in blue and pink envelopes -
like babies,
full of potential,
swathed in cellophane tape
and covered with
Turks and Caicos Hyacinth Macaw stamps
and butterfly stamps from the Maldives.
Sandy Green's poems and stories have been published in several literary reviews, newspapers, magazines, and anthologies including Bitter Oleander, Anderbo, U.S. 1 Worksheets, Ibbetson Street, and Chicken Soup for the Child's Soul (HCI 2007). Her chapbook Pacing the Moon was just released by Flutter Press. Visit Sandy's website at: http://sandygreen.webs.com/
| I wrote this poem in response to Robert Lee Brewer's November Poem-A-Day challenge on his Poetic Asides blog. The prompt Robert gave was to "take the phrase 'If only (blank),' replace the blank with a word or phrase, make that the title of the poem, and then, write the poem." I've read a lot of poetry about how poets jump start their writing, usually involving nature. I thought it would be mysterious to have something show up unexpectedly, where the wrapping was as puzzling and beautiful as what was inside, and anticipating what you would find was almost as satisfying. |
