Our old town
lies at the bottom of a lake
like Arenal and Tronadora
in Lake Arenal.
New ones have sprung up
like wildflowers
around it.
But, they’re not the same.
Sure, they have
their beautiful distractions
like scenes from a movie—
views of snakes and jaguars
stretching themselves
near waterfalls,
a peacock shimmy-shaking
on the grass,
little pastel houses
clinging to cliffs.
But this isn’t what I want.
Never was.
Even back before we had money.
You know I’d live on love.
I’d sell it all and move
to Nicoya on the cheap
to feel that way again.
When I set the table for dinner,
and select a juicy tomato for the salad,
asking you what you imagine
chupacabra looks like,
I’m not just musing at random.
What I’m really saying is—
I’ve forgotten the mystery of you,
the wild smell of you up close,
and what it did to me.
I can’t even think of it now.
And so, I scuttle about
getting stuck
in the drying cement
of our resentments,
drowning for what
the fish only know now,
dancing around
our old town.
NPM Day 28
3 comments:
Oh sure, woman. Show up at the last minute and plunk down this fantastic poem. Is it really that easy? LOL! What I love the most, after the heart-tugging ending, is that you wrote a poem about the Arenal volcano and the lake that its eruption formed with the town at the bottom. (I had to look all that up, and was fascinated.) I mean, how did you know about that, much less write this perfect poem around it? I thought that was MY trick! It takes a certain kind of mind and imagination--not to mention great heart--to have composed something like this. Don't discount it because you can do it; it's a true gift and you have it. My fangirl babbling aside, this poem is a double treat, between the Arenal angle and then the emotional heat underground at the end. Just marvelous stuff, Jennifer.
Since there seems to have sprung up a tradition of sharing cool stuff, your poem made me think of a song and a movie. The song doesn't strictly fit but emotionally it seemed to, for me. (Besides, the only people who don't like Bryndle are people who haven't heard Bryndle.) Here's the song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFDS5hQ3ma8
The poem also reminded me of a favorite movie of mine called North Fork. It's about a town being evacuated because... wait for it.. it will soon be underwater. It's rather surreal, in the best way possible. Here is the trailer. I think you would love it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYJD20xi4RU
I think you have really captured a wonderful slice of life here and the line with " a juicy tomato for salad" is excellent - such a fantastic image. The whole poem is a pleasure and works in the mind. Love it.
I love this poem, I love this woman and the mystery of who you are. Forever.
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