Tuesday, April 21, 2015

the sale

I can't afford this place,
I made a student's mistakes,
I bought too many books,
I brought them all here.
A book about how to draw anatomy.
A book of names for girls.
A book about Nixon's rise and decline.
I put all the books on the lawn,
and other students buy them
and other students won't read them.
A little more money
means I can afford the emptying room.
It is hard to let those books go.
Especially the ones I didn't read.
Like birthday candles.
Another thing you didn't do.
Well, nobody brings up Nixon.
And I never really mastered anatomy,
and that means I'm never going to be somebody
who needs a book of names for girls.
After so many years of purchases,
the only things on my shelf
are the things that no one else would buy.

3 comments:

Derick said...

Wow! S., this poem has a knockout ending! So much meaning compacted into a brilliant last line. I'll be pondering over it for the next few days. Bravo!

S. Derugen-Toomey said...

I'm glad you like, D! Since my poems are so often autobiographical, it might be worth noting that I haven't actually had to sell anything off yet, but I was thinking about the possibility, and what I would keep.

I feel like my poem style has taken a particular turn since that 'schoolmen' poem. Not sure why. Do you think you've had a trend in your poems, D? (Or anyone else! <3)

Derick said...

S., glad to hear you still have all your stuff! Yeah I think your right about the change of style -- you seem to be going for a more refined approach to the form of the poems maybe? In any case I like both styles!