Flowers For Socrates

by Nona Blyth Cloud

There are some poets who have a universal appeal, whose hauntingly beautiful words we turn to again and again for succor and an uplifting of spirit.

Then there’s Diane Wakoski.

“This book is dedicated to all those men who betrayed me at one time or another; in hopes they will fall off their motorcycles and break their necks.” These words are right at the top on the front cover of my copy of The Motorcycle Betrayal Poems.

On the back cover, it says:

“A fine poet, a beautiful woman, and – God knows what else.” – Edward Abbey

And also:

“…..the voice of a woman who is not afraid of depths.” – Anais Nin

_________________________________

from LOVE LETTER POSTMARKED VAN BEETHOVEN                                                                                                                           for the man I love                                                                                                                         more than I should,                                                                                                                       intemperance being something
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          . . . .    a poet cannot afford

. . .

I am too angry to sleep beside you,
you big loud symphony who fell asleep drunk;
I try to count sheep and instead
find myself counting the times I would like to shoot you in the back,
your large body
with its mustaches that substitute for love
and its knowledge of motorcycle mechanics that substitutes for loving me;
why aren’t you interested in
my beautiful little engine?
It needs a tune-up tonight, dirty with the sludge of
anger, resentment,
and the pistons are all sticky, the valves
afraid of the lapping you might do,
the way you would clean me out of your life…..

_________________________________

Continue reading →