Two Poems for the Day

I've been re-reading DA Powell's Lunch and Cocktails (sadly, my copy of Tea has been lost to someone who is now somewhere else and I keep forgetting to replace it until I want to reread it.) Here's a couple from Lunch. I love the poem [triptych] on page seven of the book, but because of the formatting I didn't want to try to reproduce it here.



[the sad part of living is eating and dying]

the sad part of living is eating and dying
our dialogue breaks off mid-sentence

the bill arrives as a eulogy: itemized
everyone swallows a breathmint. repression

nevermind the cost: I'll pick up your tab
you got the cab. these days green and folding



[the rain deliberately falls: as an older boy's hand]

the rain deliberately falls: as an older boy's hand

would drop into my lap. I did like the wet

let trickle against my soft: disturbingly

precious the way I caught it. mouth stretched wide


now I rush to cover up. even the telling

clouds: frightening. I wear my slicker outside

don't want to catch my death: feel its grip