Post by goldenmyst on Apr 7, 2023 16:07:59 GMT -6
This poem is clearly about a day in the life of a mentally handicapped man. I wrote it for a college poetry class over thirty years ago. The students didn't like the character depicted but the professor lectured on it for two days because he said it didn't matter what the students thought of it. He said it contained profound truths. As then I don't specify what the character's handicap was.
Henry’s Day
6:00 a.m., alarm clock goes off.
He opens his eyes, squints and turns off alarm.
Flexes his toes, stretches arms, yawns.
Throws sheets off his body, feels cold.
Lays there, watching his chest rise and fall.
Sits up. Feet touch cold linoleum floor.
Walks to bathroom. Sees his placid face in mirror.
Spreads cool menthol shaving cream
On whiskered cheeks.
Carefully runs shaver across contours of face,
Around cheek bones, jaw, chin, and lips.
Washes face with cold water. Slaps after shave on.
Cheeks feel chilly. Combs hair with brush,
Feels pain when pulling tangles out.
Puts on robe and goes to living room
Opens front door. Squints in bright sunlight
While picking up newspaper. Walks to kitchen,
Puts paper on table and kettle on burner.
Sits at table, reads about Bosnia.
Kettle whistles, pours tea,
Puts in teaspoon of sugar.
Sips hot tea. Tongue gets a little burned.
Reads whole newspaper, feels sad for world.
Turns on TV. Watches game show.
Girl wins new car. She jumps up and down,
screaming, ecstatic. He turns off TV
Sits in recliner, listens to clock tick tock.
His heart beats,
As the moments of his life rush by.
He puts on clothes, straightens collar.
Walks out into cool fall air.
Sees children waiting in line
To get on a school bus.
Wishes he was a child again.
Walks in corner drug store, gets Time magazine.
While checking out cashier says to him,
“Henry. You going home to solve the problems of the world?” He nods.
Sees laughing teenage girls walk past
As he walks out the door.
Walks home. Lies on recliner,
watching sit coms on TV.
Feels pain in chest. Sighs.
Henry’s Day
6:00 a.m., alarm clock goes off.
He opens his eyes, squints and turns off alarm.
Flexes his toes, stretches arms, yawns.
Throws sheets off his body, feels cold.
Lays there, watching his chest rise and fall.
Sits up. Feet touch cold linoleum floor.
Walks to bathroom. Sees his placid face in mirror.
Spreads cool menthol shaving cream
On whiskered cheeks.
Carefully runs shaver across contours of face,
Around cheek bones, jaw, chin, and lips.
Washes face with cold water. Slaps after shave on.
Cheeks feel chilly. Combs hair with brush,
Feels pain when pulling tangles out.
Puts on robe and goes to living room
Opens front door. Squints in bright sunlight
While picking up newspaper. Walks to kitchen,
Puts paper on table and kettle on burner.
Sits at table, reads about Bosnia.
Kettle whistles, pours tea,
Puts in teaspoon of sugar.
Sips hot tea. Tongue gets a little burned.
Reads whole newspaper, feels sad for world.
Turns on TV. Watches game show.
Girl wins new car. She jumps up and down,
screaming, ecstatic. He turns off TV
Sits in recliner, listens to clock tick tock.
His heart beats,
As the moments of his life rush by.
He puts on clothes, straightens collar.
Walks out into cool fall air.
Sees children waiting in line
To get on a school bus.
Wishes he was a child again.
Walks in corner drug store, gets Time magazine.
While checking out cashier says to him,
“Henry. You going home to solve the problems of the world?” He nods.
Sees laughing teenage girls walk past
As he walks out the door.
Walks home. Lies on recliner,
watching sit coms on TV.
Feels pain in chest. Sighs.
