Tuesday, 17 April 2012

Poetry Month 2012: Mel Sarnese - Birthday Woman


Mel Sarnese is a poet/writer living near Toronto, Ontario. Her work has been anthologized broadly, and broadcast on CBC Radio and TV Ontario. She has been writer-in-residence at the Markham Stouffville hospital 2009-10. Mel facilitates poetry workshops at the Canadian Mental Health Association in Toronto.


Birthday Woman


My day to wear pearls
collect smiles cut a rose
Happy Birthday to me
says you and you and you
with shiny teeth
and sashed blue boxes
from the big shop on Bloor

I look forward
as I take backward steps
so I may think clearly
the black and white snapshots

That's me with my Pa
posing in front of the clothesline
holding me tight as with a pin
Ma was probably behind the window
frying up red peppers and onions

The house always smelled like that
when summer was done
and I knew that I would one day get old



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