Friday, February 17, 2012

Today's poem by Wesley McNair

Where I Live

You will come into an antique town
whose houses move apart
as if you'd interrupted
a private discussion. This is the place
you must pass through to get there.
Imagining lives tucked in
like china plates, continue driving.
Beyond the landscaped streets,
beyond the last colonial gas station
and unsolved by zoning,
is a road. It will take you
to old farmhouses and trees
with car-tire swings.
Signs will announce hairdressing
and nightcrawlers.
The timothy grass will run beside you
all the way to where I live.

by Wesley McNair

18 comments:

  1. What a wonderfully evocative poem by a poet new to me, Nan. I peeked at the website you link to and have bookmarked it for a more leisure read later in the day. I'm interested now in Maine's poet laureate and his poems. Thank you for the poem and by way of it the introduction.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really like this poet, Penny. I saw him on a public television program a while back and then bought this book of poems. There's another one on the blog -if you click on poems and scroll down to his name. He's quite wonderful, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is beautiful, Nan. I have never heard of this poet, but will try to find more or his work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He's a wonderful poet, Kristi. He writes a lot about the ordinary things of live.

      Delete
  4. Your word verification is impossible. I tried three times and was never sure what on earth it was supposed to be. It seems by some miracle I got it the third time. But this is honestly too hard and I'm sure you must miss some comments, Nan.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love that poem...so very realistic of towns!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's pretty much like this one where I live, Staci!

      Delete
  6. Such a nice poem. And love your beautiful cat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really like his work. And Miss Raya says thank you. :<)

      Delete
  7. Growing up in a small town that has slowly lost its "small" flavour I can relate to the emotion coming through that poem. Lovely. It made me feel nostalgic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Such a touching response. Same thing here. I live in the next town over from where I grew up, and that hometown now has many big box stores, and the Main St is struggling to hold it together.
      McNair is really a wonderful observer of small town life, from what I've read so far.

      Delete
  8. I grew up in a town like that -- out West though. I'm off to read more about/from this poet. Thank you for the poem and the link.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I didn't end up seeing Wesley McNair at the National Book Festival last autumn, but I wanted to, since I'm originally from Maine. I especially love that last line. It really makes the poem for me.

    ReplyDelete

I'll answer your comments as soon as I possibly can. Please do come back if you've asked a question.
Also, you may comment on any post, no matter how old, and I will see it.