today i heard

Today I heard

/ Cliff / Leave a comment

Today I heard Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer read Ugly Things by Teresita Fernández

Ugly Things

In an old worn out basin
I planted violets for you
and down by the river
with an empty seashell
I found you a firefly.
In a broken bottle
I kept a seashell for you
and coiled over that rusty fence
the coral snake flowered
just for you.
Cockroach wing
carried to the anthill:
that's how I want them to take me
to the cemetery when I die.
Garbage dump, garbage dump
where nobody wants to look
but if the moon comes out
your tin cans will shine.
If you put a bit of love
into ugly things
you'll see that your sadness
will begin to change colour.

Today I heard

/ Cliff / Leave a comment

Today I heard my sister Sandy read:

Antonio
by Laura Elizabeth Richards

Antonio, Antonio
Was tired of living alonio.
He thought he would woo
Miss Lissamy Lu,
Miss Lissamy Lucy Molonio.

Antonio, Antonio,
Rode off on his polo-ponio.
He found the fair maid
In a bowery shade,
A-sitting and knitting alonio.

Antonio, Antonio,
Said, "If you will be my ownio,
I'll love you true,
And I'll buy for you
An icery creamery conio!"

Oh, Nonio, Antonio!
You're far too bleak and bonio!
And all that I wish,
You singular fish,
Is that you will quickly begonio."

Antonio, Antonio,
He uttered a dismal moanio;
Then he ran off and hid
(Or I'm told that he did)
In the Antecatarctical Zonio.

Today I heard

/ Cliff / Leave a comment

…a story concerning two men, grandfathers and neighbors, whose friendly rivalry each year over whose tomatoes would ripen first, eventually inspired one of them to stealthily and carefully paint his tomatoes red, while on the vine, just in time.