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Valentine's Day Tomorrow
by
David Cooke

Behind the Portuguese men-of-war
through their dragging tentacled rain
hides a hunchback moon.

On sloped cement the color of the storm
he turns the vice down
on something wrapped in a rag.

A spoon handle cut from its cradle
twisting it round to fit a finger.

The Amish give silver spoons
before they give engagement rings.
He lied. He teased,

milking the spoon’s significance.
She turned it on him giving him
the spoon with a "well here."

Using the hammer to pound
the vice tighter to round out
the flat spots in the ring.

It is scarred by the pliers
he first tried. But it is
impossible to file them down

without losing the inscription.
Gone already is the t in Eternally Yours

--Submitted by David Cooke on 2010-11-15.

David Cooke:
You nailed the visual. Gibbous comes from the French for hunchback. The attempt here was to link the moon and the man at the workbench and create a bit of that mad scientist ambiance. This was to highlight the manufacturing of romance/love that hides just below the surface of that much beloved/be-loathed holiday.
Posted 11/22/2010 02:54 PM

Julianne Carlile:
I will never figure out what a "hunchback moon" is. When I picture it, all I see is your rounded back.
Posted 11/20/2010 12:14 PM

sillygirl:
this is a fascinating image. I admit i am still completely lost by the first stanza, but it does set the tone for the rest of the poem. "Using the hammer to pound" keeps striking me oddly because it is the only present progressive verb. my favorite is the last line, though. delicious irony. :)
Posted 11/16/2010 07:04 AM

David Cooke:
are italic.
Posted 11/15/2010 03:02 PM

David Cooke:
I thought if I am going to comment I better post also. Formatting note: stanzas 4 and 5 should be indented and "t" and "Eternally Yours" is italic.
Posted 11/15/2010 03:01 PM

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