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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Favorite Poem: The Vacuum by Howard Nemerov

Choose an object associated with a beloved, even something very ordinary, and then recall how much you miss that person, especially if that object is still there to remind you, even berate you. Here, Nemerov selected a vacuum cleaner. And, obviously, the name has a double meaning.

This was another poem I enjoyed teaching to my students in the 80's at Fort Carson.

"The house is so quiet now
The vacuum cleaner sulks in the corner closet,
Its bag limp as a stopped lung, it mouth
grinning into the floor...."

His conclusion can certainly impact anyone who experiences significant loss:

"And still the hungry, angry heart
Hangs on and howls, biting at air."


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