Thursday, April 18, 2013

A Poem by Karla Huston and Cathryn Cofell: "Split Personality"

Last night I got a chance to reconnect with a local poet, Karla Huston, whose poetry, energy and easy grace in the world amaze and inspire me.  At one point last night she said, "I didn't start writing poetry until I was in my 40s" -- and since I've known her for over 10 years, and she looks barely out of her 40s now, I was pretty damn shocked ... on a number of levels.  You go, Karla!  Lookin good!

Karla and her friend and collaborator, Cathryn Cofell have published a little book of poems written together, Split Personality.  I thought I'd give you the title poem today, so you can see what a wealth of poetry we have here in our own backyard, and to give you the idea that poetry can be a love child created by friends, rather than a nasty little secret performed alone in a garret.

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Split Personality

Karla Huston and Cathryn Cofell

I'm a swift walker
a queen bed rocker
a girdle stalker
a spider smacker
a monkey pile
a trip down that girl's aisle,
a stay at home mom-o-phile.
Shape shifter, beauty grifter,
sexual drifter
watch me jiggle and whistle,
I'm built like a missle.
I'm waiting for you, tucked in lush grass.

Or maybe I'm a little slimmer
a moon-y glimmer, a blinking
swimmer in an old fish eye.
The one you wish for,
the one you'd hiss for, so
pack this cellulite
in your momma's sigh.
I'm nearly darling, a timeless
starling, a little more care --
less than free.
So bring us the hum,
a symphony of drums, the rumble
of a good epiphany.

sunnyoutside press, 2012

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