I wrote a poem on a plane ticket
as I flew home from your wedding.
It was a brilliant piece; it sang
of your accomplishments
and even kissed the bride near the end.
Funny, now I can’t find it
among the lone stocking, and the old
hand mirror your sister left on my pillow.
I think she wanted me to take a good look.
I glance into the silvered glass,
disgusted by the dark circles around my eyes
and the small wrinkles etching my smile.
You are on a different plane headed to a
another life with a new girl. The plane
ticket in your pocket’s free from poetry,
no magic words to sing your praises.
Someone is walking through the airport
with my poem in his pocket. Someone
who likes what he read enough to steal it,
to be perhaps, the person
in the poem I always wanted you to be.
Stacy Post is a librarian and mother residing in the flatlands of Indiana. Her third grade teacher taught her how to write haiku when she couldn’t sit still. (Thank you, Mrs. Harris!) She credits her grandfather, who recited poetry whenever she sat on his lap, for giving her the ear for wordplay. She has been in love with language ever since. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Purdue University and a Master’s of Library Science from Indiana University. She has worked in public libraries for the last ten years. Her previous publications include: Purdue Exponent, Skylark, Haiku Headlines and the Indianapolis Star as a community blogger. In 2009, she won a haiku contest on the blog, Gumbo Writer, and has work forthcoming in various online publications. You can find her unique point of view at: www.stacypost.blogspot.com
28 Responses to “LOST & FOUND • by Stacy Post”
Comments
« MORNING COFFEE • by Amy Corbin | Home | ADDICTION AND DRIVING • by Allie Dresser »
February 4th, 2010 at 12:54 am
Brava! Five stars!
February 4th, 2010 at 5:10 am
Very nice!
February 4th, 2010 at 5:59 am
I love it! Wonderful poem, Stacy. Great job!
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
February 4th, 2010 at 6:54 am
I like this a lot!
February 4th, 2010 at 8:07 am
5 stars!
February 4th, 2010 at 8:35 am
“The person in the poem I always wanted” YOU “to be”. I hope the person becomes who THAT PERSON wants to be, praise or no praise.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:10 am
Very lovely, Stacy! Five stars from me
Emma
February 4th, 2010 at 9:12 am
It’s a beautiful piece. . .thank you for sharing it.
February 4th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Lovely to read and re-read! Excellent.
February 4th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Great poem, loved it.
February 4th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
LOVE this!! Rated you 5 stars!!
February 4th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
I enjoyed this, Stacy. Just beautiful.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Checking all my old ticket stubs now!
February 4th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Very thought-provoking, which is just what a poem should be!
February 4th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Very poignant of the past and a positive wish for the future. Very well written.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Lovely, poignant. Five stars!
February 4th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Going to check my old ticket stubs right now.
February 4th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
A big thank you to everyone who voted and commented! I appreciate it!
February 5th, 2010 at 8:11 am
Touching and beautiful Stacy. Five stars definitely.
Nancy Gibson
February 5th, 2010 at 10:19 am
Oh – this is a perfect little novel all in a few lines . . . that’s what makes poetry so cool; I am in awe of poets, how much is shown by so few thoughts. Brava…
February 5th, 2010 at 10:19 am
PS _ I tried to vote, but I don’t think it took it -
February 5th, 2010 at 10:24 am
You know, I’m not a big poetry fan. BUT, this I liked and connected with. Good job, Stacy!
Best Wishes Galen.
Imagineering Fiction Blog
February 5th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Sometimes you can’t see comments immediately as they get stuck in the filters at admin but we regularly accept those comments when deleting spam. Sililarly if you vote 5 stars the poem does not automatically jump to that status. They are averaged and so level out.
Thank you all for commenting.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:31 am
LOVED IT
Very evocative, very thought-provoking, very real.
February 5th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Enjoyed this and think it is a strong poem, even though I didn’t care for all the air between the lines, as I don’t see how that adds anthing.
February 7th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Wonderful poem! I was there…
February 11th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
This has the makings of a decent poem. The first half works except for the reference to singing your praises which isn’t the earmark of a believable relationship. And dark circles under the eyes is garish. Also unclear is why and how the groom’s sister would be in a position to leave a mirror on your pillow. Interesting detail but also over the top.
The second half works as a concept – the poem finds its way into other hands – but the lines lose their authority and lose their way. I think that means rewriting the second part of the poem until the lines gain the polish and immediacy that you’ve achieved in the first half of the poem.
February 28th, 2010 at 1:09 am
[...] poems: “Monday Morning Before the Garbage Truck Comes” by Linda Simoni-Wastila, “Lost & Found” by Stacy Post, and “The Emancipation of Sylvia Plath” by David Siegel [...]