On the theme of Your Very Flesh
Emily, Rescue Me
from Mediocrity
hunkered down on Me
— an Albatross, that by Night
in full fright, slips ten Talons
through my sleepless Brain and digs
up Bits and Pieces of Poems
ostensibly laid to rest.
From my writing Hand by Day
— in full Sight — the Interloper
presses me to pen again and again,
those scrapped Fragments, and renders
Verse, I put that Trash into,
not the least bit better for It.
Fighting Tooth & Nail not to write
worse and worse, I sweat wanting
Intervention — your Invention.
Albatross
Nothing I say or do ever lifts that heavy
of wing I shoulder. Enough! I implore. Off!
Yet, it hunkers harder, has me on my knees.
Nothing I say or do ever lifts that heavy
foul from my neck of woods ~ its sinewy
cambered wings keep hanging tough.
Nothing I say or do ever lifts that heavy
of wing I shoulder. Off! I implore. Enough!
Transmigration
Should A urge her twin B to live
in or around A’s neck
of the woods where A lives
life trying to right the wrong
B tried to make her feel
for being born first?
Little distance between them
will A totter under the weight
of B’s health, infinite concerns
& complaints, frets & foibles —
B endlessly spending time
wasting away days
in front of a TV screen
or in snooze mode within earshot
of the squawk-box scream —
A knocking herself
out trying to transmit?
On the theme of Gratitude
I’d Like to Thank the Dead
for my good meal tonight. I could
thank the chef, but, rather, choose
to think he’s not operating on his own.
Instead, it’s my dear doggie, or perhaps,
my sister, mother or father looking after me —
angels heaven sent, bent on making my life
a place where I can still find happiness.
Author Biography
RUTH SABATH ROSENTHAL is a New York poet. Her work has been published in the U.S. and also in Canada, Israel, India, Romania, and the U.K. In 2006, Ruth’s poem “on yet another birthday” was nominated for a Pushcart prize. She also has a poetry book forthcoming titled “little, but by no means small.” For more about Ruth, please visit her website:
www.ruthsabathrosenthal.moonfruit.com