Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Trudy, from Cameron Parish

I recalled her from summer break last year
with long legs and a confident smile
acting like she owned the beach
permitting the rest of us to be here
so long as we kept our distance
and minded our manners

Sometimes she’d sing in a high, soaring voice
sometimes she’d mutter and scold
and while I couldn’t make out the words
it was clear she got the blues

Someone done her wrong
somebody left her
her heart was broken
her life was over

But something was different this year
this year she sang like she meant it
because someone had done her wrong

Every place she traveled
everywhere she slept
everything she ate
everyone she loved
all destroyed

She could still fly and sing
as well as any gull on the gulf coast
but I had to wonder
if that were enough

If her life depended on staying up forever
depended on someone hearing her song
would I see her back here next year
with her long legs and confident smile?

~ J. D. Mackenzie


Inspired by the Poetry on Wednesday prompt, What's On Your Mind? From Rallentanda's evocative list, I chose Environmental Issues.

8 comments:

  1. The truth of it is Trudy wont be there next year.There is an underlying layer of sadness to this poem. It is lyrical, simple almost like a song. Lovely JD. I think a disastrous event like this takes a while to seep through consciousness. It is quite traumatic..it makes all of us uneasy..even those of us who live in other continents.Now I have to go look up Cameron Parish!

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  2. J.D. This is beautiful! Thank you for giving Trudy voice! You've managed to honor the scavengers. ha! Scree! Screeeee!

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  3. Judy "with long legs and a confident smile"! Such a clever personification, JD, in such tragic circumstances. I hope Judy can and will come back, just to give you that winning smile again.

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  4. JD, this is an excellent poem, but so sad. I am so heartsick by the Gulf tragedy and all the animal and human losses, and it isn't over yet!

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  5. Wherever we live, we all share the sadness caused by the disaster. Trudy may not be back nest year, and I can't help wondering which beaches maight be facing the same fate as hers.

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  6. JD this is a beautiful piece about such a horrible disaster! This is so sad!
    Pamela

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  8. JD--Great poem, but so sad that we have to deal with effects of this avoidable disaster! So, it looks like you've been on a haitus...I guess I'm not one to talk, but I was looking forward to seeing what you've been writing. Best, Robin

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