1
b. 1. eike
second place
poetry
death of k
(Kenyatta, 1893-1978, remembered)
1
In a haughty turn of mind,
ldi Amin was left stumbling in protocol.
Gasping to catch his slighted breath,
Spitting your salt-water glance into the crowd.
Among the black flowers ( 1 was one),
Lying in stiff salute, not important now,
Not able to give and take political insult
And only dead, no more; the loss of him
Touches us like a vague old woman.
Her mind on something else.
I wonder if the princes understand (or did)
One man's danger touching all.
Stepping one massacre to another,
Leaving bloody footprints up to his demise.
Old man, you've come a long way.
Many solemn faces circle your sleep.
Many wayward incidents drawn together again;
Many errant children struggling to comprehend.
Many bitter words will be buried with you ;
They have turned to other pursuits already.
Seated still we listen
As each man sends his words ricochetting.
They rose to cheer a crocodile smile;
The English stand dark.
As children concerned themselves away,
Unaware of your tears in the night.
Even old, were they aware?
They flinched away from your thought of age
And you thought
You'd live forever.
Steven m. smith
second place
photography
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marie mahoney JOe
at the bar tod po(
I A Man Sitting Alone
Someone should have
Stopped him at the door,
Grabbed another stray and said,
"Hey, pretend you know this guy."
Instead, they let him sit alone,
Tapping his glass on the table-top,
Playing games with the shadow
Of his head on the wall.
II The Girl Who Jumped Out of the Blues
The girl who jumped out of the blues
Lost in a jitterbug.
Legs and arms tangled in smoke--Blends
into the sound of an old man
Singing a song about going home.
III Two Poets
Two poets drinking
In the corner spill dreams into
Each others' beer.
I Song
I heard a :
Miner nan
The Joe ti
Has curly
In the boc
Says "y'w
Better tha
Ever met.
If I could
I'd sing ab
II Distrac
1 tried to
Over coff
But you c
Played yo
Game of s
Then to h
I had to w
Shuffle.
III Air F
When he 1
It smells li
And dirty
page 4
fathom
friday, december 1, 1978