| InterBoard Poetry Competition | |
PICNIC IN PALESTINE
Peter Desmond
(Café Utne)
It was a pretty good excursion.
We went to that pond, I mean lake, Tiberias --
Jupiter, every puddle in Palestine
gets called “lake.” They should see the Atlantic.
I thought I heard the murmurs of a crowd
just the other side of a hill. Excuse me,
a “mount.” When I got to the top I saw
a mob squatting on the ground.
It seemed boundless. Everyone was rejoicing.
A guy offered me smoked fish on flatbread.
It was okay, but nothing beats our fish sauce.
A group under a tree invited me to sit
in its shade. I don’t usually fraternize,
but the sun was hot and they had wine.
Anyway, it turned they were here for a speech,
which made me suspect sedition. I patted
the dagger under my tunic for reassurance,
but when this guy with flowers in his hair
started speaking, I relaxed. He talked about peace
and didn’t once complain about our army.
The lecture was a success, I’d have to say.
But that sweet wine gave me a Hades of a hangover.
Judge Anthony Robinson’s comments: “A light-hearted, fun piece that borders on silly, but manages to amuse with its retelling of an all-too familiar story. The poem is carried by the strong, colloquial voice, and the matter-of-fact narrative.”
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