Irene Latham at Live Your Poem hosts this mid-October Poetry Friday, sharing some fabulous, creative scarecrows and a poem about them, too. Thanks, Irene, for a perfect autumn post!
Of all the craziness in this election time, my mind continues to return to those who are not answering questions put to them. I listen with focus, and it happens time and time again. I've been writing this poem for a while, mostly done "before" these recent events more alarming than simply not answering a question. It is not meant as a joke, but serious because I want the answers, and not the lies.
I have rarely heard or
used the word “pivot” since my high school basketball days. However, in this
election frenzy, this word has appeared often in the mouths of newscasters. It
varies with the breaking news shared, but most of the time it means that a
question is asked, a dilemma is faced, and the central person turns away to
talk or effect a different, and meaningless, response, in order to change the direction of the topic. Argh, so frustrating!
Ricochet
I will avert my eyes,
avoid all you surmise
about anything.
I will bend the query;
when you lunge, I parry
away your sting.