Poems by Adam Maue
For me, summer is a time for travel. Two of these poems are inspired by my summers traveling across Canada, specifically seeing British Columbia’s mountains and spending time in the Okanagan Valley’s rich vineyards. Also, “letter to the editor” is a character piece about a newsworthy person. Enjoy.
a number of smaller scenes
a grenade
salad
hair
ice
the bible
a tablecloth
a dress
war
i read back what i saw today,
through my café eyes:
a scene in a picture,
too wide to see.
the wine is 90 per cent
1.
the wine poured slowly into the glass.
the bottle was from 1895.
the label was faded.
when their lips touched the wine
visions of yesterday
flowed.
2.
i collect the drops —
move my bag
underneath
the vine.
i am drunk —
berries
underneath
my skin.
i am red-toothed —
naked
in the lake
with you.
i am red-armed, red-legged —
grab a fresh bottle
uncork it
swig.
3.
the grapes were like jewels.
the farm country was green and watered.
people were served inside a tent.
the wine was 90 per cent.
the drunks were carted away at midnight,
gently placed ‘neath the vines.
song in the key of b flat
a blue mountain appeared as the car moved west.
the driver sang along to songs on the radio.
“all night, all night,” it played.
blue mountains began to grow on all sides:
the passenger seat,
backseat,
trunk.
the car moved west with the windows down.
music came out blue as a mountain.
letter to the editor
the pictures of me
were in black and white:
i was dancing barefoot on a balloon floor.
i was tied around the waist to a giraffe.
i was handing an apple to a monk.
i was on my knees in the street.
the pictures grouped together
suggest what isn’t true.
it’s strange that i should be drawn in this light,
but i suppose i am a figure made to be drawn.
i write this now in my own defense:
to remove the monkey claws from my back.
now, i drive away laughing,
throw candy out the window.
write what you want,
there’s still time.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Feature photo obtained via Unsplash