Is It All Right, Stuart? : Selected Poems of Gerald T. Perkoff

Gerald T Perkoff

ISBN 10: 0595673236 / ISBN 13: 9780595673230

Published by Author Solutions Inc Sep 2005, 2005

About this Item

Neuware - RAMROD ROWSHow similar they are, tall straight rowsof soldiers and corn that grow so fastyou can hear them in the night, must stepback quickly to keep from being hit bythe tears of joy that descend whilechildren become men as we watchthem sleeping.Corn shoots climb like Jack on his beanstalkto their certain end, tassels waving in thewind like celebrities' handkerchiefsunder the noses of starstruck admirershiding so much sweetness in theirbudding kernels they begin a descent totasteless in the instant of pickingstalks suddenly shorn and stacked in shocksonly if someone notices their lonelinessand binds them for company.Young menno more sophisticated than puppies growfrom baby to manhood long before experiencemakes them mature, the methods of war instilledas they stand ramrod, no tassels hereonly flags waving and feet marching'hut, two, three, four,' jab and pullaim and shoot, fall and diehuman stalks to turn browndry up, and become fodder.

Seller Inventory # 9780595673230

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Is It All Right, Stuart? : Selected Poems of Gerald T. Perkoff
• Publisher: Author Solutions Inc Sep 2005
• Publication Date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0595673236
• ISBN 13: 9780595673230
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 222W x 145H x 12D millimeters 222 millimeters width by 145 millimeters height by 12 millimeters depth
• Weight: 348 grams

About this title

Synopsis

RAMROD ROWS

How similar they are, tall straight rows
of soldiers and corn that grow so fast
you can hear them in the night, must step
back quickly to keep from being hit by
the tears of joy that descend while
children become men as we watch
them sleeping.

Corn shoots climb like Jack on his beanstalk
to their certain end, tassels waving in the
wind like celebrities' handkerchiefs
under the noses of starstruck admirers,
hiding so much sweetness in their
budding kernels they begin a descent to
tasteless in the instant of picking,
stalks suddenly shorn and stacked in shocks
only if someone notices their loneliness
and binds them for company.

Young men
no more sophisticated than puppies grow
from baby to manhood long before experience
makes them mature, the methods of war instilled
as they stand ramrod, no tassels here,
only flags waving and feet marching
'hut, two, three, four," jab and pull,
aim and shoot, fall and die,
human stalks to turn brown,
dry up, and become fodder.

About the Author

Gerald T. Perkoff is a physician and Curators Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He and his wife of fifty-eight years have three children and five grandchildren. They live in Columbia, Missouri.