Confession Tuesday: The Early Edition
Here's the church where I ended up yesterday after a walk through a larger small town of 5600 people. I followed the churchbells and looked out over the water at autumn happening in every direction.
*
After the church with locked doors (I tried), I ended up at another church, The Church of Used Books. I lost track of time and entered that space where time moved without me. In an old book by Theodore Roethke, I found my favorite marginalia. Under the poem, "Weed-Puller," a stranger had written, "What is he digging at?"
*
A construction worker asked me if I wanted job. I said I'm happy enjoying the day.
*
Later I walked by a second bookstore who had a painted letters on their window that said, "Sherman Alexie Reading!" but someone had erased the R and it took me a moment to figure out what a "She man Alexie Reading" was.
*
I was out in my poetry shed when a thunder and lightning storm passed above. I survived.
*
The sign with the missing letter reminded me of one time, years ago, in the countryside of southern Illinois, a billboard that said "DEATH AND THE DRINKING RIVER." I was baffled by it, it was strange and full of volatile mystery, until somebody else in the car said the last word was really DRIVER but the D had rubbed off. "Death and the drinking river" -- I might yet use that in a poem sometime, if I can find anywhere it would fit.
ReplyDeleteI love that.
ReplyDeleteI'm always amused when people get creative with other people's words.
I always remember the pond by my house the sign that read "No Swimming" and someone had carved "mean fish" underneath it. It always made the rule of not being allowed to swim much more charming.
Thanks for your note.
Loved the She Man Alexie story. Hope it was a good reading.
ReplyDeleteAnd I like that if poetry doesn't work out for you, there's always a gig in construction!