Octopus, Enumerated
by Michelle Schaub
One for craggy crevices.
Three for savvy, squinting eyes,
watching carefully.
Four for curious, coiling limbs
that taste with sucker kisses.
Five for sneak attacks,
(this hunting tactic rarely misses.)
Six for rolling waves above.
Seven-sand below.
Eight for sudden cloud of ink—
Hey now, where’d it go?
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Oh that sneaky octopus! Don't you love the octo-structure of Michelle's poem? I do!
Michelle and I met a couple of years ago at Poetry Camp (thanks to Janet Wong, Sylvia Vardell and the good folks at WWU!). In addition to octo-love, we've discovered we have a few other things in common: 1. we both wrote collections of poems set at the farmers' market; 2. we both have poetry collections forthcoming from Charlesbridge; 3. we share an illustrator: Amy Huntington! Amy illustrated Michelle's FRESH-PICKED POETRY: A Day at the Farmers' Market and is working on my NINE: A Book of Nonets. Fun!
I love Michelle's 'Fresh-Picked Poetry" and this poem, covering all the bases, uh, "arms".
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun poem although I think I'll shy away from #8, thanks Michelle and Irene!
ReplyDelete