Poetry Magazine
Just Now Between Positions
These, his last,
employers, dead
Inexplicably and
Unavailable
to praise his diligence,
Cast a shadow on his prospects, and he sighed.
Before all this, he
Would have lit a pipe and
mused on the past
In aromatic mauve tobacco...Shadows
Baffled pleasantly
the better rug
Once a bear.
Grizzly bear.
He would have enjoyed a smoke with a bear.
Hibernation is
not unlike a job you fail to love.
He would have enjoyed
Some banter on, and amiable disputation of,
His claim. Or
on job loss, in general;
On night air, the fanfare above a curve, a star,
If suitably
asparkle in public.
Source: Poetry (May 2012).
Biography
Judith Hall’s books include To Put The Mouth To (William Morrow, 1992) and Three Trios (Northwestern University Press, 2007).
Poem Categorization
SUBJECT Living, Disappointment & Failure, Activities, Jobs & Working
Poetic Terms Free Verse
If you disagree with this poem's categorization, make a suggestion.
The Poetry Magazine Podcast: Just Now Between Positions
Your results will be limited to content that appeared in Poetry magazine.
