A COTTAGE IN THE WOOD
—Russell Edson (1935-2014)
He has built himself a cottage in a wood, near where the insect rubs its wings in song.
Yet, without measure, or a proper sense of scale, he has made the cottage too small. He realizes this when only his hand will fit through the door.
He tries the stairs to the second floor with his fingers, but his arm wedges in the entrance.
He wonders how he shall cook his dinner. He might get his fingers through the kitchen window, but even so, the stove’s too tiny to cook enough food; the pots are like thimbles and bottle caps.
He shall also lie unsheltered in the night, even though a tiny bed, with its covers turned down, waits for him in the cottage.
He curls himself around the cottage, listening to the insect that rubs its wings in a song . . .
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Today at 1pm, Poetry of the Sierra Foothills presents Deborah Shaw Hickerson and Allegra Silberstein, plus open mic, at Caffé Santoro in Diamond Springs near Placerville. And at 2pm, Davis Arts Center Poetry Series features Patrick Grizzell plus open mic at the Davis Arts Center on F St. in Davis. Scroll down to the blue column (under the green column at the right) for info about these and other upcoming poetry events in our area—and note that more may be added at the last minute.
For more about Russell Edson, go to www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/russell-edson, and while you’re there, be sure to check out one of my favorite poems at www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50780/with-sincerest-regrets/.
—Medusa, celebrating the metaphor in poetry!
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
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in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
