"Poetry Should Ride The Bus" By Ruth Forman

About a month ago my brother and his girlfriend took my husband and I to Busboys and Poets on 14th and V streets in D.C.  http://www.busboysandpoets.com/about.php   The store/restaurant is small, crowded, and intimate.  They had many of the Chris Abani and Ruth Forman books in stock I want to buy when I have some money.

The day we went they were having Rita Dove the next week.  People I live out in the suburbs, and we don't have poets like Dove stopping by. 

As you can see, on this day they had Ruth Forman.  Video provided by Hedgebrook on Youtube.  http://blog.hedgebrook.org/



Poetry Should Ride the Bus By Ruth Forman

poetry should hopscotch in a polka dot dress
wheel cartwheels
n hold your hand
when you walk past the yellow crack house

poetry should wear bright red lipstick
n practice kisses in the mirror
for all the fine young men with fades
shootin craps around the corner

poetry should dress in fine plum linen suits
n not be so educated that it don't stop in
every now n then to sit on the porch
and talk about the comins and goins of the world

poetry should ride the bus
in a fat woman's Safeway bag
between the greens n chicken wings
to be served with tuesday's dinner

poetry should drop by a sweet potato pie
ask about the grandchildren
n sit through a whole photo album
on an orange plastic covered lazyboy with no place to go

poetry should sing red revolution love songs
that massage your scalp
and bring hope to your blood
when you think you're too old to fight

yeah
poetry should whisper electric blue magic
all the years of your life
never forgettin to look you in the soul
every once in a while
n smile

From We Are The Young Magicians by Ruth Forman which was in 1993 by Beacon Press.

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