Coming Attraction: Finally, a poem maybe worth investing my time in.

http://www.scn.org/realpoetik/graham-lorraine022002.htm

The first poem here "from" Work Poems is titled Always For. I'm not sure why it is called Always For to be honest and don't get the connection to the poem itself which appears to be a monologue given by a working girl in the think tank/strategic defense contractor industry where Jane's is on every coffee table in every office. Now, I do have some experience in that field since I have a daughter "in the field" so to speak and I'd tell you more but I'd have to kill you (so she tells me as she whips her ever changing computer password keychain around and blots her lipstick on her way out the door to her Toyota Scion). The poem flirts with body image situations that co-mingle with your typical cubicle conundrums that women and men face in any industry let alone the defense contractor, missile defense systems, ChemAli arrangements types of deals and yes...we have an execution in there that shows up in the middle and right at the end. Death I suppose, real or imagined but in my opinion, those behind desks have little idea how to describe the life of either the executee or the executioner. It tends to fall on it's self righteous face over and over again and wherever it is encountered in "Poetry".

And excuse me, but I liked the Bourne Identity...the first one anyway. Nevermind that my shrapnel collection is somewhere else and all my toe rings had to be melted in order to make bullets.

The second selection is called Stash and once again, I'm a bit perplexed as to what that has to do with the last line: push up office squat no spaghetti straps here other than to say that the internal monologues of beaureacrats bore me because I am one. It does highlight however the waste involved in such work and I have to agree...it is best to get out of that sewage when in fact you might confuse your sexuality with your ability to hold down a nine to five. Time to change you know.

The third and thankfully, the shortest piece is titled My Proposal and finally there's a title that has some connection to the poem itself which borrows from religious texts tangentially and indicates that the poet doesn't like men to push her around. Okay. Like, okay.

Shrink is the last poem on this particular page and is at least, somewhat cogent. It moves from the same ideology and that is, this poet hates to work doing certain types of things one might construe as "establishment" like. This is entirely expected but I am at least grateful that for once, the poet believes that the reader might like to know what is going on inside that "pretty little head of hers" and I don't say that with tongue in cheek or apologies. A female poet that makes such a point of telling us about their epic hamstrings must realize that her epic hamstrings will be fodder for the critic. My best advice...either accept the fact that you are what you are and that is beautiful (and Ms. Graham is very much so) or leave it out of your work entirely. I'd pick the second and always have...for the most part. Once I got wise to the fact that it is a gimmick that contradicts the message you indeed hoped for if you are writing the types of poems you are now "known for". Feminist, etc. blah blah is best left unsaid if you know what I mean as is a certain female tendency to behave in narcissistic ways when asked to promote their work by donning the nearest push up bra and matching panties.

And don't bore the mature audience with this I don't have a message message which is one of the most curious of curious curiosities of modern poetry. Ah no, not me. I was just this radio receiver and helping everyone to hear what was going on. We can hear. But can we write? That is the question.

Overall, I am once again tres disappointed but think that I'll keep looking and order Terminal Humming "just in case" I've missed something.