Poetry Workshop

the young men stay behind
soaping dishes
she is surprised by their penchant
for bubbling kitchen mirth

would it surprise the women
parting quickly
that these men in iambic
spur a competition
to be the worst at sport

would the grumpy men in gardens
lose their footing
should their wives, immersed in Whitman
prefer a house away from home

would it surprise, too, the young ladies
that jouissance-men, like petals
prefer the power in a language
Chaucer honed

it does not surprise her
to see a vision in their maleness
like a Paris kiss of Picasso’s time
this is

Helen Hagemann

If you've any comments on this poem, Helen Hagemann would be pleased to hear from you.