A 2009 Phone Book, Uncovered

A priest friend of mine once joked around that I could write a poem about anything,
including a phone book.
So, I took him up on the challenge.
It was written last summer and recently shared with the challenger,
and deemed an acceptable completion.


A 2009 Phone Book, Uncovered

rows of digits only making sense with the code

the names and people categorized by alphabet

a distinction made up by label

we have waited years for a general anethestic

to kill the pain of trying to understand

the differences in name, in label

strung out in columns upon the page

who are we and why and how

the steady numbered rows lack clarity

what is the code? what is the relation?

to each abbreviated formation

Jones, Edward

Jones, Edward D&Co

Jones, Elizabeth

      Emmett J

Jones, Florenz H

      Forrest

      Fred A

      Fred A Jr.

      Gayle & Jeffrey

      Geo R

      Gerald M

Jones Harwood Inc

names with meaning only understood

with the maturity to know

the separate interdependence of life

my life contingency depends on grass

and on Emmett J, never met, at 827-6589

I cannot wipe out the knowledge of the other

a book, its pages densely printed

brings to life the immediacy of color

and the fruition of feeling pain

which defines and satisfies

yet cannot negate the power of humanity