Monday, March 28, 2011

First, the ending (a poem)

Starting tomorrow here in Calgary, the Calgary Spoken Word Festival kicks off for its fourth consecutive year of exciting spoken word programming and learning!

I got inspired by Sheri D. Wilson a couple of years ago when she came to the shelter where I work to share random acts of poetry.

And then I found a video this morning about two poets in Ontario reading poetry to truck drivers on the busy 401 freeway -- I wonder if when cell phone usage from a car becomes illegal in Alberta if that means truckers won't be able to use their CB radios too? Just wondering...

Anway, reading and thinking about poetry this morning inspired me to write a poem. And at the end, I pasted in the video I found of random acts of poetry on the road. -- do you think that's called Word Kill?


First, the ending.
©
Louise Gallagher

I like to read
the ending
first flipping forward
skipping through time
to find that place
where strings are strung
together
threads are woven
together
and everyone lives happy
together ever after.

I like to read
the ending
first
finding that place
where life unfolds
backwards
to a beginning
where disparate threads
dangle
inticingly like cotton
candy swirls trapped
upon a cardboard tube
sharp end up
waiting
for a deft hand
to spin the strands
together
into a cocoon of sugary pink
perfection

Endings are perfect.

I like to read
the ending
first to know
who did it
did he get the girl
forever
did the eagle land
safely
did the ugly duckling
grow beautiful
becoming the swan
who skipped forward
through time avoiding
the pain of learning
how to fly

I like to read
the ending
first
I must live
the moment
to find the beginning
where love grows
into being
you and me, forever.


******************************************************
And in case there's a glitch, I've also included the link to the video, HERE.


9 comments:

mindsinger said...

Thank you for a sprightly, dancing kind of poem.

Louise Gallagher said...

Thanks Maureen.

And thanks for the tweet
you are so sweet! :)

Louise Gallagher said...

Hi Mindsinger! Thanks for dropping by -- love your screen name.

Claudia said...

i like to read the ending first as well...
loved the cocoon of sugary pink
perfection ... so nice louise - and enjoyed the video very much - such a great idea to bring poetry to the people

Louise Gallagher said...

Thanks Claudia -- some people tell me I'm 'sick' to read the ending first. I think it's quite brilliant -- never does it ruin the story -- always it leaves me free to enjoy the story read. :)

Unknown said...

Love the poem, but I hate reading the ending first. I'm a 'surprise me' kinda girl.

Louise Gallagher said...

Great observation Fiona -- I'm not good with suprises! But then.... I do like control :)

trisha said...

glad to know i am not the only one who reads the end first and then reads from the beginning again. :)

Sandra Heska King said...

Like Maureen said. That was fun.

I force myself to not read the ending first.

Cuz I might not go back to the beginning.