Liz’s Weekly Poetry Series: Chicken Soup

August 4, 2013 in Montana

by lizard

This week’s poetry post was initially going to be about rape culture. First, I read this Truthout piece breaking down Robin Thicke’s rape anthem, Blurred Lines. Then, I finally got around to reading a poem that has been going viral: Patricia Lockwood’s “Rape Joke” published by The Awl. It’s damn good and everyone should read it.

But then I got to thinking about the big shift of interfacing with written language—book to screen—and though I’ve got my shelves packed with books, there is something to be said for the immediacy of what the screen can offer.

All this to say I wrote a poem today that I would like to share, partly because it emerged from the back and forth of the last few days. And it employs language that operates on different levels, which is fun to pull off, if you can. Enjoy!

*

CHICKEN SOUP

marrow of speech
leaks like sun on snow
the clapper shushes the bell
the bar so low
we can hear peanut shells
cracking like insects
under foot
crack of failed resistance
against violent pressure—
put these creatures
out of their misery…

out of their minds
the flock tries
to detect the fox
seeing signs of his prowling
in every bug-buzzed movement
of grass
but they ignore the latch
unfastened by the farmer…

last crack scatters the crows
from the mighty oak

marrow of bone
makes a delicious soup

—William Skink