Friday, July 27, 2007

Poetry Friday: This is not a test

put down your multiple choice, the answer
is not ‘all of the above’ and this is not
just a cheap styrofoam practice prototype
with notes in the margin and plans for
improvement, we are not a mistake,
we are not dross leftover neatly labeled
and filed away for later

this matters and there won’t be a later,
living like lizards under rocks waiting for
the sun to come out but this is already daylight,
creep out and push your nose through the
grass, look around and dig in and make this matter

this is not just a test, this is today and real
and wonderful and harsh and joyful, every
shadow and syllable and keystroke and lizard
tail and breath in the dark and failing heartbeat,
every action potential and argon atom, and
the sun will never come out but we don’t have
to stay under rocks, this is already daylight

there are already stars, we are already worn
out and breathing and beautiful, every lover
and horror and diamond matters singularly

---by Rebecca Holmes (all rights reserved)

This is my daughter. She's been teaching me that "this is not a test" since the day she was born.

Poetry Friday roundup is at Check It Out

7 comments:

  1. Wow! LOVE this poem! the beauty, the energy, the flow, the passion! Felt like reading two of my favorite poets: e.e. cummings and Gerard Manley Hopkins (thunderous applause; i bow to you, Rebecca).

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  2. Oh, wow. That's just plain fabulous.

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  3. I second the thunderous applause. Wow.

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  4. This is wonderful. You've got one talented daughter.

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  5. Looks like you passed on a bit of talent, there, Sara. Very very good indeed.

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  6. Okay. I read this Friday.
    And then, like one does with all great poetry, I came back to reread it. And that little bit about 'this is my daughter' suddenly crystallized in my brain. Dude. You don't look old enough to have a going-into-college-soon daughter. I thought you meant this reminded you of your daughter, or... Wow. Family genius. How well blessed you are! Lovely, lovely poem.

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  7. Oh, fantastic! You must be so proud.

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