poetry in motion, part the second

Hey all,

I'm exceedingly pleased to report that my poem, fall back, written for the on-line poetry project of the same name, was one of eight poems selected for this year's Poetry in Motion promotion.

The poem will be printed on a bus placard and ride the streets of Winnipeg for several months.

fall back (2006 program)

There are days when you have nothing
the sidewalk blasted clean by midnight
bristle brushes and successive layers of sand
but it is the sliver of ice with its boot-smashed edges
that trips you up and like the last of a stingy moon
like eyes squinting against morning like winter
and the wet O of mouths on bus windows
you go down

The last time I participated in this promotion, I got very early morning phone calls from former roommates, saying they'd seen my poem and that my voice was "still as sexy as ever." I had to excuse myself to blow my nose and somehow managed to blow out all the sexy (who knew sexy was mucous-based?).

walking home (2002 program)

Jumping on pools of white ice fascinated by the
destruction because I am not supposed to want
to break glass
and Orion reflected
still stretches across the sky rampant
the only constellation I can find every time and the air is
cold it etches tea roses into my cheeks
small and scentless

Anyways, what's especially nice about this is that it means that poems of mine will on buses in both Alberta and Manitoba this spring.

Thanks to the MWG and the Canada Council for the Arts for sponsoring this promotion!

A.