Contact The Author: rdlbarton@gmail.com

Ron. Lavalette's work has appeared in these fine publications:



Saturday, October 27, 2012

Tutor

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place (Online) October 2012
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place (Print) March 2013
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place (Audio) May 2013

The trick, he said, is to sit
by the lake, write about water
and sky without using words
like expanse or dome; without
comparing one to the other;
without mentioning robin’s eggs
or azure; without resorting to
a recollection of other summers
spent by some other expanse
of azure, under some other
dome of robin’s egg blue.
The trick, he said, is to see
across the lake to the other
shore; to make the other shore
anything at all but distant; keep
the clouds from becoming cotton.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Fly Away Home

Poetry Breakfast (Online) October 2012

While you’re away this time,
and because I can never sleep
when you’re gone, I’ve had to buy
a big old sack of potatoes
to balance out the bed.
It’s not the same thing, really
but I have to admit: it’s not too bad.
Sorry about the sheets.

That meatloaf you made
before you left for the airport
lasted almost half a week,
then I just started ordering
pizza and Chinese take-out.
While I waited for your return
I carved a pumpkin. I tried
to make it happy, but it just
wouldn’t smile. Nobody came.

This morning it’s just me,
up early as usual, with
Jack Nicholson, Five Easy Pieces,
and the lovely Susan Anspach.
She, too, has beautiful hair.
I miss you terribly. Please try
to make it home for Christmas.

Bring me someone’s autograph.