How am I today, you ask? How was work today? How's the book I'm reading? The one I'm writing? How's my Facebook Scrabble games going? Am I ready for Christmas, you wonder? How am I doing at the bank? Do I have any pistachios left? What did I eat today? Was today a Starbucks day or an energy drink day, you ask? What games did I play today, if any, you wonder? What do I *really* want for Christmas, that there's no way on earth I'll get? Am I looking forward to Christmas? To New Year's? To the LAN party? Is the camp slideshow done yet? Did I order a "pooter", you wonder? Am I sick of life? Do I feel an urge to toss some things in the car, start driving, and not look back? Am I excited about the new year? How's business? How's the weather? How's my health? How's my mood?
No comment.
Instead I give you,
Sparrow in the Snow!
Sparrow in the Snow: A Poem
by Dave Wagner, Esq.
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O Sparrow in the snow,
Can I swat you
With a tennis racket?
I know I shouldn't just spring top-quality poetry on you all like that unannounced. If you weren't sitting down and well-rested before reading it, the stark imagery and deep themes and sub-themes could overpower you, and make you feel light-headed. The risk of injury is there, though admittedly minimal. Next time, I shall provide at least 24 hours advanced warning. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Dave
8 comments:
Your poetry is especially poignant, I am deeply moved, intrigued and confused all at the same time.
Gorgeous photographs. The top one would go perfectly with a poem I wrote last year. Loved the repetition of the 's' in your sparrow poem, btw -- subtle yet magnficent.
And yes...I was wondering about the pistachios. And, although you never asked, I do feel the urge to throw everything in the car and drive...
After laughing at the poem and doing a double take, I think it's obvious here what the poem means. Obviously the sparrow is your life, resting on what looks to be a frozen fox's tail that's sticking up out of a sea of snow. This is the exact situation that happened at the end of The Lord of the Rings, except instead of lava and a ring of power and eagles and Hobbits there's just this sparrow. The snow itself is the mire and surroundings of life on first glance, but actually is a direct, implied metaphor for something more, something grander. Yes, the snow is actually crystallized water. The word choice of "swat" was fully intentional, carrying the consonance throughout the poem, but also offering a not-so-subtle hint of pain and frustration that's soon to come. The tennis racket is another convoluted metaphor, this time meaning an F-150. What we have here, in my expert opinion, is truly a bird that's caught out on a frozen fox's tail, unable to fly away because all around it is only crystallized water and nowhere else to land. The bird itself is unable to comprehend the question posed by the poet, however, and so is unable to provide an adequate answer, thus the poet is never satisfied. This is easily remedied, fortunately, if the poet were to add "I'll take your silence for a yes." Otherwise the poet and the sparrow would be locked in a repeating circular loop forever, or until one of them died or broke the Sacred Covenant of the Question.
Okay. I hope that clears up any confusion anyone may have had.
that is so weird...I was just going to say that...you rock logankstewart...Kateb15
haha wow. Dave, and Logan, you are amazing! i'm so inspired now!! :D
John: How wonderful a son that can so 'stonish a brother! (sorry, Hamlet)
Havah: One bag of Christmas pistachios, coming up!
Logan: Man, I was more transparent than I thought... good analysis...
Mom: No, YOU rock, mom... YOU!
Abbie: Take that inspiration and run with it, girl! RUN WITH IT!
Thanks for the afternoon laugh!!!
What Captain Yoga said. :)
Merry Christmas Eve!
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