Letter to Brooks: Spring Garden by Major Jackson

1
When you have forgotten (to bring into 
Play that fragrant morsel of rhetoric,
Crisp as autumnal air), when you
Have forgotten, say, sunlit corners, brick
Full of skyline, rowhomes, smokestacks,
Billboards, littered rooftops & wondered 
What bread wrappers reflect of our hunger,

2
When you have forgotten wide-brimmed hats,
Sunday back-seat leather rides & church,
The doorlock like a silver cane, the broad backs 
Swaying or the great moan deep churning,
& the shimmer flick of flat sticks, the lurch
Forward, skip, hands up Aileyesque drop,
When you have forgotten the meaningful bop,

3
Hustlers and their care-what-may, blasý
Ballet and flight, when you have forgotten
Scruffy yards, miniature escapes, the way
Laundry lines strung up sag like shortened
Smiles, when you have forgotten the Fish Man
Barking his catch in inches up the street 
“I’ve got porgies. I’ve got trout. Feeesh

4
Man,” or his scoop and chain scale, 
His belief in shad and amberjack; when 
You have forgotten Ajax and tin pails,
Blue crystals frothing on marble front
Steps Saturday mornings, or the garden
Of old men playing checkers, the curbs 
White-washed like two lines out to the burbs,

5
Or the hopscotch squares painted new
In the street, the pitter-patter of feet 
Landing on rhymes. “How do you 
Like the weather, girls? All in together, girls,
January, February, March, April... ”
The jump ropes’ portentous looming,
Their great, aching love blooming.

6
When you have forgotten packs of grape-
Flavored Now & Laters, the squares
Of sugar flattening on the tongue, the elation
You felt reaching into the corner-store jar, 
Grasping a handful of Blow Pops, candy bars
With names you didn’t recognize but came 
To learn. All the turf battles. All the war games.

7
When you have forgotten popsicle stick
Races along the curb and hydrant fights, 
Then, retrieve this letter from your stack
I’ve sent by clairvoyant post & read by light,
For it brought me as much longing and delight.
This week’s Father’s Day; I’ve a long ride to Philly.
I’ll give this to Gramps, then head to Black Lily.



BY Major Jackson

One of my favorite candies, they used to make my tounge burn after eating too many though.

POETRY OF THE DAY REVIEW:

Since this is black history month, ive decieded to submit one of my favorite poems written by a black poet. This piece is complete nostalgia for me, the piece takes me way back. How do you feel about the poem?

WORD OF THE DAY:

The word of the day for dictionary.com is a kinda lame today, doesnt take much thought to figure our what an inkhorn is.. a horn that holds ink BINGO. So instead i have chosen to use a past word of the day that i havnt used before :D.

lucubration

   \ loo-kyoo-BRAY-shun; loo-kuh- \  , noun;

1.

The act of studying by candlelight; nocturnal study; meditation.

2.

That which is composed by night; that which is produced by meditation in retirement; hence (loosely)any literary composition.

After hours of lucubration with my baby, i realzed why she is just too amazing.

More poetry information:

1. Now and Later Assorted Candies (192 count)
2. Now and Later Cherry Flavored Candy Forty-Eight 4-Piece Bars
3. Now and Later Watermelon Flavored Candy Forty-Eight 4-Piece Bars
4. Holding Company: Poems
5. Leaving Saturn (The Cave Canem Poetry Prize)