Zumwalt Poems Online

there’s no drought about it

the fountain shouts
with an overwhelming bout of color-lit water
in a passionate fit of fashion it pours out its inner most need
neither avarice nor greed
simply the seed of a self-centered flower.

the thundercloud booms
taking up more room in an overcrowded encounter
its war-torn form pours out scorn on the earth
an attempt to briefly reassert
the importance of a morning shower.

  jack strong and muscularly weighted
  from bench press freight greatly elevated
  struts about the beach
  nakedly painted speedos now activated
            nothing left to chance
            nothing understated
            debating with himself if he’s x or r-rated

  jill scantily clad
  in the latest thonged fad
        lays and bathes in the rays she maintains that she craves
        though she’s here mainly to daze,
        haughtily take off her shades,
        and occasionally faze any stray
              make-a-play braves that come by
              to gaze and throw lines her way.

the ocean roars
as its tidal waves pour onshore to make the sea forcefully screech forth
in a rampage of rage it sweeps the front page
of the island town paper
and make those that survive
cower from it self-asserting power

  i am important!
      i am here!
                  i am!
     not, i am not!

                        i am of significance!
  i am something you don’t see everyday in the bathtub!
  when i chose to be
                        i am not not there!

the little dog
using it claws
digs making an impression
on Peterson’s ground
knowing its work should be remembered after it’s gone
wraps up the morning
by watering the lawn.

— Zumwalt (1990)

Comments on: "there’s no drought about it" (9)

  1. Hands down.

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  2. Magnificent, the dog leaves and we are left to graze in your magnificence!

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    • Jay and willowdot21,

      Thanks!

      Always interested in comments, particularly what any given Zumwalt Poem means to someone.

      Sharing viewpoints can certainly help in understanding any poem. This one is tough for me. I get the water part (“Jack and Jill… fetch. water”) but not sure whether the poet is contrasting water (the essence of life) with importance — or comparing them? Or maybe this is intended as an open question?

      This, on the surface, seems clearer than some Zumwalts but gets a little bit murky upon diving in.

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  3. wooww.. you are a talented terrific poet.. every time i read one of your poems i learn so much about poetry.. 😀

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  4. The fountain shouts ❤ haha. What a journey this poem is. Well done.

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  5. nice musical language.

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  6. songsfromthelighthouse said:

    Love the use of internal rhyme here. It reminds me a little of T.S.Eliot or Dylan Thomas, but of course your use of it is so much more direct, more modern.

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  7. Fountains, maremercy and songsfromthelighthouse,

    Thanks very much for taking the time to read this and replying back with your comments. Greatly appreciated.

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