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from the issue of May 3, 2007
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American Life in Poetry
BY TED KOOSER, U.S. POET LAUREATE, 2004-2006
One big test of the endurance of any relationship is taking on a joint improvement project. Here Sue Ellen Thompson offers an account of one such trial by fire.
Wallpapering
My parents argued over wallpaper.
Would stripes
make the room look larger? He
would measure, cut, and paste;
she'd swipe
the flaws out with her brush.
Once it was properly
hung, doubt would set in.
Would the floral
have been a better choice?
Then it would grow
until she was certain: it had to go.
Divorce
terrified me as a child. I didn't know
what led to it, but I had my suspicions.
The stripes came down. Up went
the flowers. Eventually it became
my definition
of marriage: bad choices, arguments
whose victors time refused to tell,
but everything done together
and done well.
Reprinted by permission of the author. Copyright (c) 2006 by Sue Ellen Thompson, from her book, "The Golden Hour," published by Autumn House Press. This weekly column is supported by the UNL Department of English, The Poetry Foundation and The Library of Congress. This column does not accept unsolicited poetry.
GO TO: ISSUE OF MAY 3
ARTS HEADLINES FOR MAY 3
'On the Land' features Sartore photography
American Life in Poetry
'Anatomy of Charley Friedman' opens May 11 at Sheldon
HEAD UP
Schaffert's third novel out May 15
Sweet 16
'The Host' continues run on Mary Riepma Ross screen
'Torn Notebook' conservation to begin May 7
Woodwind Quintet, Chiara Quartet play 'Nebraska Concerts' in May
732799S37083X
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