 |
Sunday Muse # 92 |
If the door fits, hinge and hang
it.
We must keep pasts where they
belong.
Sea shells in desert. Gods on foot.
No. Hide them before they corrupt.
Youth are susceptible to words
rumor, images and science—
In truth, I am, too. If something
has dried to death, it must have lived.
Plato predicted we’d have to
hide poets, playwrights and thinkers—
at least their imaginations—
from all but philosopher kings.
And time has come to lock the
doors,
walk in straight lines, stay on
dry land.
And when youth challenge us, close
ears,
close eyes, close hearts. Eat sand for bread.
Think of Jesus as Pied Piper
leading our children astray. Though
many of us have paid the price,
neither past nor future exist.
When the door of knowledge is locked,
we’ll be left among the guilty.
We’ll have silenced little
chickens.
Still, we’ll be safe with our
today.
My blog poems are rough drafts.
Please respect my copyright.
If you quote, credit this page.
© 2020 Susan L. Chast
Please respect my copyright.
If you quote, credit this page.
© 2020 Susan L. Chast
If something
ReplyDeletehas dried to death, it must have lived...
Think of Jesus as pied piper...
What a power poem this is, Susan! It brightened up my Sunday morning!
There is lots to think about in this poem. I love the line that says if something has dried to death, it must have lived.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at "If the Door Fits" Susan! I love this so much! Every stanza is a pause of thought brilliantly stated to ponder and swish around like a fine wine. Amazing poetry here!
ReplyDeleteI specially love the cutting expression from the fourth stanza onward. Irony reaches its height with image of Jesus as the Pied Piper. And the final line! Wow!!
ReplyDeleteThe first time I read this I veered off track. The second time, it was heartbreaking. This is a poem to read and consider and read again.
ReplyDeleteIf something
ReplyDeletehas dried to death, it must have lived. I love this line. There’s power in this write!
Yes, on second reading I got even more from this poem. Closing our ears to youth's challenges, and eating sand for bread really hit me. I am noting how much news time, preparation, response and alarm there is to the corona virus which has killed twenty. Climate change will kill millions and there is barely any response at all.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the 2nd and 4th stanzas, Susan. Your keyboard continues to be on fire.
ReplyDeleteOh, the stark irony... when someone says science, you point at the sky and bake break from the sand.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is powerful. I for one don't want to be a tiny little chicken. I have never been good at demanded silence. What a messy world we find ourselves in.
ReplyDelete“If something has dried to death, it must have lived.” Great line, Susan. Much to consider in your lines.
ReplyDelete