Civil Disobedience

(a postcard poem)

Today’s trip to the post office
is joyless. I must
send our lawyer
copies of documents the government
somehow doesn’t have.

All I did
was stand up
for friends, for self,
even though I only stand up
to pee approximately 6-8
times per day.

And I know,
without even asking,
I will do it again, again, again
until something, permanent, changes.

But at least, at the same time,
I can mail this postcard.

Eating

(a postcard poem)

I need to get to farmer’s market soon
or my vow to eat
t only ethically raised and slaughtered
livestock shall yield to my inner carnivore’s
desires for flesh now.

Today, if anyone on the town green sells meat
or Saturday in Amherst (where I might go
to see her anyway if we can get it all ironed out),
or as a last resort, Tuesday before dance
at the gym.

Soon,
I’ll consume a pair of boiled eggs
and the last of my edamame salad,
because it’s time to consume and I don’t
want anything to spoil. Such waste
disrespects the starving.

Doctors and Dancing

(a postcard poem)

Woman on a quest to:
find people.
complete things,
catch up
after lazy/ill/ do nothing much
day that yesterday became.

Today,
I also ache for rest,
but take none,
accept for occasional,
stolen cat nap in van,
as I scurry
from appointment to appointment.

Sick Day

(a postcard poem)

I had a quiet day,
reading under the big tree.

I paid my the library fines
and
got back into literary good graces.

I play with spacing. I like this piece;
I think it’s going somewhere,
even though that where’s
unbeknowst to me.

First of the Month

(a postcard poem)

A trio of bills-
payments to Verizon,
the three day Novel Contest,
and one more payment
toward a too long held debt.

We needed rain
and are getting it
in swift buckets.

I hope it stops,
so I can prowl Northampton
in search of postcards
and a new phone.

Searching

Postcard Poetry 2011 #1

I opt after 15 minutes roll
down street with no sidewalk,
in, according to my therapist,
a town with no able-bodied pedestrians,
not kill myself in search for the perfect
postcard, to start off my 2011
postcard card poetry journey
after the a search of the antique store
next to her office proves fruitless,
as I seek to kill some
too early for appointment time

Thoughts on Food

(a rough draft)

I'm a grew up on meat and potatoes
kind on girl,
omnivore to core.

I dated a vegan once
and discovered all sorts
of new foods
and new ways to prepare old favorites
so we could share a supper.

After watching Food, Inc. a few times
I realize there might be more to vegetarianism
then meets the eye.

That what's on my dinner plate
sports worker's rights violations,
the death or illness of children from Ecoli
in ground meat or-
I didn't know this was possible-
eating leafy greens.

That eating factory farmed meat
is morally wrong as steward of the Earth
as well as helping to create hyproxias 1
on the only planet we almost 7 billion humans
share with the rest of the species herein contained.

Why, I wonder, do we live in a country
where burgers cost less than carrots?

Why do, we, as voters, allow the powers that be
to render the USDA,
the very people who are supposed to make sure our food is safe,
toothless?

Why aren't we demanding that all fast food
be made with free range livestock
Chipotle does it;
why can't everyone else?

Instead, we allow subsidies
to scue our food systems
towards the bad calories,
making it even harder for poor people
to decide to eat well.

It's not just a matter of self control
or family discipline.

It's matter of access to grocery stores,
farmer's markets that don't take food stamps.
It's a matter of the Dollar Menu.
It's a matter of knowledge.

It's a matter of privilege
and power.