Sonnet Bernadette Mayer

Even when you have nothing to do there’s

Too much history to put into poetry

Is the work to be done in secret or out loud?

I’ve chosen to grow old awkwardly, like a teenager

A full blast of sun is on the shirt on a hanger

We saw a brilliantly red tree in Rayville

Now the leaves are rushing off the yellow tree

The gingko hasn’t done any of its autumn tricks yet

My favorite thing to do is to watch a volcano erupt

It goes like popcorn at the million dollar movie

The idea that writing is easy comes from Frank O’Hara

Gods & philosophies inevitably let you down

I’ll be sorry for writing this poem (if it is a poem)

Some pleasure might be taken in a new color