Thursday, April 13, 2006

The Real or the Reel?

Above me the steamy jungle pounds in nighttime frenzy,
Roasted warriors turn on spits while
Naked bodies lurch with frightening motion
To frantic drums in the bright and shadow
Cast by firelight. But its noontime, really
And downstairs baboolya’s cruelty and cunning
Squeezes shouts out of Natalya
To make sure she’s paid the price
To the last drip. Throttle that pound of flesh
But find no justice, I think to myself,
Which makes me hear my students
At the university saying there is
No such thing as a happy person
There are just people in happy moments;
Everything is grey in life
Until we color it with our love.
So I kiss your lips,
Know what the color of grey feels like,
Put on my headphones,
And watch Groundhog Day again.

6 comments:

Pat Paulk said...

Rerun, rerun, rerun, over and over again, and still it's grey! Very good Russell!!!

Russell Ragsdale said...

Thanks Pat! Live a season or three and you begin to see a rerun or two.

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

I think it is the eyes you look through on the day, sometimes eveything has a honeyed glow and as you say sometimes the world is grey. I hada grey week last week but the sun is coming out a little. Happy Easter Russel

Russell Ragsdale said...

Happy Easter, Sue! Thanks for the great comments. You latest poem is awesome BTW!

Roger Stevens said...

Nice poem. It seems to make three shifts. The first part a frantic jungle dance. Then ruminations upon students. Then a love poem. And a joke to end.
Interesting.

Hope you're well and had a good Easter. We were planning on a quiet four days - but ended up with a streeam of visitors. Great fun.

Russell Ragsdale said...

Thanks Roger! Easter is always good for me. It sounds as if it was hectic but splended out your way. The haiku thing was a lot of fun, BTW; Well Done!