Christmas

The assignment is: Free verse which has a logic that governs the structure. I tried my best to format it how it's supposed to be, but formatting on this stupid blog sucks... The format came out mas o menos (so, so) - not too bad.

Christmas

I decorated the Christmas tree.

Not sure why really. I just did.

I clean my plate and set it to dry

In the dishwasher. I never turn it on.

I put some logs on the fire.

It's not really cold, but I light it anyway.

I sit at my baby grand, my fingers on the keys.

I can't really play much.

But, I like their feel under my fingers

I like to slowly press the high notes.

I worry that my glass will stain the finish

But, I like the ambiance.

Sitting there, I watch the snow fall outside the window

The river is frozen.

Families skate along.

There are lots of them.

Past the houses the river disappears into the distance.

No one follows, but I, through my window.

Copyright © 2008 by Layne Cockcroft

All Rights Reserved

(Now and Then There's)

I sit staring at the tickets,

My phone beside them.

The TV flashing. 

               The tape ticks over

(Elvis sings on)

The chairs in the parlor.

I slouch into the sofa

and loosen my tie.

Also: There's a prize for figuring out (explaining) the title. 

Hint: There's a clue in the poem.

Copyright © 2008 by Layne Cockcroft

All Rights Reserved

Waiting

A tick, it's just the clock

I need to think, but I'm waiting,

Waiting for her knock. The candle,

The wick is almost gone. I start

to walk, up and down. I lick

My lips. The room begins to rock.

I feel sick. Is the door locked?

I kick my toe. A rock? No a brick.

From the dock. A trick. Dumb jock.

My sock feels slick. I talk in

Epic shock, quickly, the clicking

blocks the thick mocking. Tick-tocking, tick-tocking.

The intent of my poem is to make it sound like a clock ticking as the person waits for someone to arrive. He israther anxious about the arrival and as the anxiety increases the ticking gets closer together and louder, invading his thoughts. I’m also reading Ulysses in my modernism class, so there’s some stream of conscious influenced stuff in there, I think. 

Copyright © 2008 by Layne Cockcroft

All Rights Reserved