Sojourning: games adults play

This poem is typical of my poetry. It does not rhyme. It has no capitals nor punctuation. It has multiple meanings.

I do not usually rhyme my poetry because I love the natural rhythms of the English language; besides, I’m not a good enough poet to rhyme my phrases and still have them read well. (Robert Frost and Edgar Allen Poe are incredible at this, by the way.)

I do not use capitals nor punctuation, because I like the way it forces the reader to slow down while reading the poem. Each word must be evaluated for its relationship to the other words. Another of my favorite poets, ee cummings, taught me that trick.

As for multiple meanings, here’s a hint: I have written a good bit of my poetry just trying to get a date. For example, this poem was sent to a young woman with this footnote ‘P.S. If you want to be kissed, no games are necessary. Just ask.’ There, the truth is out, except that is not really the whole truth at all. Ooh, multiple meanings again! I’d say more, but I’m already baring my soul here.

games adults play

today
my daughter wanted
love
yet she chose a very
strange way
of asking for it
she told me
she did not want to be
kissed

a ploy
intended to increase
my affections
so unlike the childlike way
of freely asking
and freely giving
love
she must be getting
older

Mark Hamby
June 1994