A Lane of Yellow

LISTEN, STEEL

(A poem by Jennifer Swanton Brown inspired by Stephanie Syjuco’s International Orange featured in Initial Public Offering)

“Listen, steel,” “listen,” said the engineers to the towers: “Listen to the voices of the ferries, and of the nearby hills, even the ocean and the sky have voices that speak, that count.” “Steel, you will have to stand through the changing seasons. Your name will be taken into the mouths and onto the wings. Your song will be highly pleasing and unusual in the realm.” “The black water, the grey sky, the aluminum sea gulls will look to you for a returned music.  One vermillion bird,  one terra cotta grain of sand.” “Listen, steel, to the voices and with your molecular symphony, carry our message of admiration.” “Our message,” said the engineers, “will be in your voice for anyone  who wants the news.” “The bridge news, steel, is you.”

Poem (c) Jennifer Swanton Brown. From the 5th Annual Poetry Invitational presented by San Jose Museum of Art and Poetry Center San Jose, April 17, 2014. 

Image: 

Stanley Kunitz (via theparisreview)

Elaine Sexton, “Rethinking Regret,” The American Poetry Review (vol. 29, no. 6, November/December 2000)