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The Sunday Poem: Rich Boucher... I Will Care About You When I'm Good And Ready

Those weekly demonstrations in Nob Hill elicit all kinds of reactions: some people honk and most just keep on driving. A few join in...a few join the counter-demonstration. Very few join both.

A past member of five national poetry slam teams, Rich has published four chapbooks of poetry. Like sands in the hourglass, Rich's poetry blends neo-brutalist surrealism with pagan music, sacred nonsense, revisionist history and "truth". Ever had a spiritual awakening on a Ferris Wheel? Rich hasn't, either. Page influences: James Tate, Charles Simic, Wallace Stevens. Stage influences: Bill MacMillan, Sean Shea, Lea Deschenes. Some of his recent work can be found here: www.depoetry.com. Stop by his blog, Apocalyptic Rabbit Speaks.

I Will Care About You When I’m Good And Ready

The overcast sky
was hundreds of naked ghosts
on the afternoon of the much-touted

Central Avenue clash
between those who thought Israel was OK
and those who didn’t care for Israel so much,
and though there was the threat of rain
I was in a forgiving mood and wanted to go see a show
so I took a little time off from work to stop by
and have myself a look-see.

Some entertainment value
these people turned out to be!
Turns out I had seen this hand-held film
at least a dozen times already before;
don’t these concerned, superior people
ever stretch their wings and get creative?
It was all so predictable I left the show in tears.
There were strangers of all ages yelling at strangers of all ages;
both sides angry with each other for being angry.

Neither side ever seems to understand that I have needs, too.

So I did what anyone of good conscience would do:
I made sure to visit each side of the street,
holding up my own white cardboard protest sign reading
“PULL UP YOUR PANTS ALREADY;
NO ONE WANTS
TO SEE YOUR UNDERWEAR.”

I keep that sign in the trunk of my car
at all times; it’s worked wonders for me.

--Rich Boucher

Submissions to this column are most welcome. Just email me at theditchrider@gmail.com.

Tags: boucher, poems

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Comment by cc on May 10, 2009 at 9:45am: Fresh view on humanity here, Rich, with smile- and laughter-lines. A great blend for a poet. You give so much to poetry and poets in our city.

Comment by Barelas Babe on May 10, 2009 at 9:54am: I told myself last night that even though Mother's Day will be a work day for me, I would start my Mother's Day off right - with a cup of joe and The Sunday Poem. A poem of curiosity, anger, tears, and laughter - what a rich start to the day!

Ditchrider, thank you for sharing another fine local poet's work with us - I'm off to check out Rich's blog now.

Comment by Rich Boucher on May 10, 2009 at 3:06pm: Thank you to both cc and to Barelas Babe!

Comment by Ben Moffett on May 10, 2009 at 3:59pm: This is the most intelligible (coherent?) poem I've read here for awhile, and I liked the message. Enuff, said, except I'd like to see a sequel on the reaction to Rich Boucher's sign.

Comment by Rich Boucher on May 10, 2009 at 4:21pm: I'd love to hear who would be up for accompanying me to Nob Hill when I do this for REAL. I had a friend on my facebook suggest that I'd get arrested for doing so, but I fail to see what law the authorities could possibly cite.

Comment by Ben Moffett on May 10, 2009 at 5:59pm: The only thing I can think of is jaywalking.

Comment by Merimee Moffitt on May 17, 2009 at 1:31pm: You make me laugh as usual; your propriety festish is endearing. How I love you How I love you
re this poem? I especially like the title adn wish you would write several more with the same title--a sequence of sorts. Can you please have children so your genius does not die out?

Comment by Rich Boucher on May 17, 2009 at 2:26pm: Merimee - you're so kind to me! However, I often think the notion of there being people that have come from me is a scary notion!

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