Lidless Lives
for A.H. & D.W.
Lord Lord
take off the cap I keep on, the lid,
attempting to safeguard what’s inside
necessary though to have it off
to take it off
when happiness is being out poured
to fill me up, to fill my cup
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2007
12:06 a.m. 30/08/07
for A.H. & D.W.
Lord Lord
take off the cap I keep on, the lid,
attempting to safeguard what’s inside
necessary though to have it off
to take it off
when happiness is being out poured
to fill me up, to fill my cup
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2007
12:06 a.m. 30/08/07
posted by Obie Quiet at 12:14 AM
4 Comments:
For some reason this makes me think of Hermes's cap- the one that rendered him invisible. You make me think you're a Bahamian Hermes flying around with winged feet. Whether you can be seen or not remains the question.
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AH, something's beginning to take off, to take flight. I wrote a poem sometime ago about my craft I'd been pushing nonstop, for year. "I hope I'm on it, when it takes off" is how it concludes. This craft of mine, it seems, is beginning to take to the air, and certainly, I’m on it. I want it to go higher and higher and faster and faster. How like a car, I've been pushing this writing vehicle, oftentimes uphill. It’s about time relief, laughter, and lightness, were introduced. You indicate translation, transformation. You bring these on. Knowing you, I'm blessed. I'm better off.
AH,
your reference also brings to mind, Ralph Ellison's INVISIBLE MAN along with a poem, one of my own, written in Bahamian Creole, "Wax Paper People". You may find it on pp. 68-69 in POEMS TO SIT ON TO SHELL PEAS. Because too often requested, I try to avoid performing it, otherwise you'd have heard it already by now.
Ishmael, just back from abroad, requested it Wednesday past. It must have seemed impolite of me, but I refused him this pleasure.
I am still researching Hermes. Haven't yet gotten to present cap, absent self, as it were. I will. I'm eager.
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