The Madison Poem
What could be finer in the waning days of apple season and farmers’ markets than The Madison Poem written by Richard Swanson? This poem gives us a last glimpse of both. — Fabu
The Madison Poem
At the farmers’ market this morning a bruise on an apple
I’d bought offended me.
My recent lover beside me was likewise offended for me,
and at my hip Harlan, my golden retriever, yowled.
Crowds behind me at the farmer's stall stirred me on.
Bruised apple buyers of all occasions came forward.
We were bonded by moments when our pinkies
had squished through a fruit’s epidermis.
We vented: TAKE BACK THE ORCHARDS!
We chanted: TWO, FOUR, SIX, EIGHT.
GOLDEN DELICIOUS WE LIBERATE!
We made demands, I mentioned our lawyers
as the farmer smiled.
Why not have another? he said.
It’s only one apple, that bad one.
Got some squash here, harvested yesterday, cheap,
and, uhm, your dog there,
you know he’s got the mange?
Adult poets are invited to submit poems of twenty lines or less to fabu@artistfabu.com for possible publication in Madison Magazine.
Audio productions provided courtesy of Haggar Audio.
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