Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Marie Howe

How Many Times

No matter how many times I try I can't stop my father
from walking into my sister's room

and I can't see any better, leaning from here to look
in his eyes. It's dark in the hall

and everyone's sleeping. This is the past
where everything is perfect already and nothing changes,

where the water glass falls to the bathroom floor
and bounces once before breaking.

Nothing. Not the small sound my sister makes, turning
over, not the thump of the dog's tail

when he opens one eye to see him stumbling back to bed
still drunk, a little bewildered.

This is exactly as I knew it would be.
And if I whisper her name, hissing a warning,

I've been doing that for years now, and still the dog
startles and growls until he sees

it's our father, and still the door opens, and she
makes that small oh turning over.


From THE GOOD THIEF (Persea Books, 1988)

5 comments:

r said...

Great poem... but I want more of YOU - your poems, your insights, maybe even your comments on the poems? Hmmm? How's about it?

Cam said...

Marie Howe,
My name is Cameron Penny. You read my poem "If You Are Lucky in This Life", on the movie "Poetry in Wartime". I wish to contact you but I have been unsuccesful.
If you would please find the time to email me I would appreciate very much. But if you find yourself to busy I understand.
Thank you for the kind things that you said, they dont fall on deaf ears. It ment alot to me to hear you say that... even about a kid you had never even met or heard of.
Thanks again.
Cameron Penny
Facebook: Cameron Penny
P.S.
Your a fantastic poet.

Unknown said...

Cameron, I've been looking for you for a few years because of your wonderful poem. I would love to find you, as there is an opportunity for the poem to be part of a movie and I can't seem to make contact with you to get permission. John Rybicki gave me an email for your mom, but there was never any respons. I can also help you contact Marie. I think if you leave a message here, it will get to me. Hope to hear from you soon.
kim

Cam said...

Kim, i would greatly appreceate it if you could contact Marie Howe. Please do... And Mr. John Rybicki as well please.

Unknown said...

Hi Cameron,
Can you get me your email address? There are 3 pages of "Cameron Penny"s in Facebook! you can email me a kim@kimrosen.net. I will get your info to Marie.
So glad to have found you.
Kim