July 9th, 19787:15
p.m. 
poetry by Michael F. Nyiri
"The Land of Poetry" Cathy poem
"Living in a land of make believe, trying not to let it show...." (J.Hayward, 72)
A thought just struck me -
And it seemed right funny -
Here I am a poet in a
cardboard world of fools
Spouting rash philosophies and
carving ornate jewells
Readying existence for a plan which no one knows
And having interruptions in the paths of brainwave flows
I've been here in hell
constructing heaven with a pen
And now you've there in "the land of poetry"
With love in every riverbend.
I sit here in my mind-house
staring out the window of my eye
-though the distance be forever and a day
And "now" is lost - I'm the
Perfect Poet of the Past --
And you're my Anne Hathaway
The sun goes down, but I'm backstage
And the actors parade round the Globe
The stage manager's upset - keeps mumbling
about how I said "the play's the thing"
but I'm busy nibbling at your earlobe.
The fantasy set - Act one's
on the boards
And everyone's clapping like hell
I'm in the green room with your head on my lap
and everything's going so well.
Act two brings hisses; Iago's in black
It's a tragedy - jealousy stings
But back here in heaven I'm still all aglow
Happy endings are played in the wings.
As the drama wears on, and Act III
comes and goes,
I snap back to present tense
worries and woes,
You were so lovely in the sixteenth century
And you made me remember
all I was and could be.
I loved you as much as I love you now
But present times are cruel -
bitter lessons they show -
So I sit here writing make - believe
in reality
As you visit the "land of poetry".
copyright 2001 Michael F. Nyiri
