Two Great Poems

I got to thinkin about poems in last 24 hours after I heard some good ones.

Hans Ostrom has visitted my blog here; that's the way he got in touch with Kate Campbell who reads his poem on occasion when she sings her song about Jesus and Elvis.
Kate openned for Emmy Lou in Europe in 2002 and a friend of hers and mine has gotten to know Ronnie Cox, who was the first to fall out of the boat in Deliverance.

Laurie Corzett's Gospel reminded me ofHans Ostrom's poem on Emily Dickinson and ElvisI hope she likes this one as much as I liked hers:

Emily Dickinson and Elvis Presley in Heaven
By Hans Ostrom


They call each other “E”. Elvis pickswildflowers near the river and bringsthem to Emily. She explains half-rhymes to him.
In heaven Emily wears her hair long, sportsLevis and western blouses with rhinestones.Elvis is lean again, wears baggy trousers
and T-shirts, a letterman’s jacket from Tupelo High.They take long walks and often hold hands.She prefers they remain just friends. Forever.
Emily’s poems now contain naugahyde, Cadillacs,Electricity, jets, TV, Little Richard and RichardNixon. The rock-a-billy rhythm makes her smile.
Elvis likes himself with style. This afternoonhe will play guitar and sing “I Taste a LiquorNever Brewed” to the tune of “Love Me Tender.”

Emily will clap and harmonize.
Alonein their cabins later,
they’ll listen to the riverand nap.
They will not think of Amherst
or Las Vegas.
They know why God made themroommates.
It’s because Americawas their hometown.
It’s because
God is a thing withoutfeathers.
It’s becauseGod wears blue suede shoes.

And here is Laurie Corzett speaking about the Gospel

Pardon the limning of things, it's the set up, not the rhythm of the Poem.

Gospel
by Laurie Corzett


Sally, won't you go downtown
Pick up some teabag partyclowns
We'll teach 'em tricks of trade
from streets walled in by degradation
Ain't this nation grand
for glad hands raised in celebration
of shames we dare not name.


Hallelujah Hallelucinations
Hallowed ground baptized in blood
Saved from the cleansing Flood
by sticking to our kind
however we're defining us today
If we were meant to live a different way
wouldn't He have told us?
October 28, 2009