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The Sunday Poem: Tamra Hays... Starting Over

Starting over? This little poem navigates through the clutter of life. The images are so strong that a first reading hides its rigorous organization. It is powerful and lush, yet spare...not an extra word or thought anywhere. It is just a beautiful piece you can enjoy over and over again.

After teaching in the Duke City for over 20 years, Tamra Hays and her husband, Michael, began to teach in international schools. They now split their time between Istanbul, Turkey and Mountainair, New Mexico. On August 22, she will take part in the Poets and Writers Picnic in Mountainair. More of her poems can be found at Laughing Dove Poetry.

Starting Over  

It's as if you are driving
 a pickup truck

 full of clean laundry
 and art supplies
 through a narrow street
 cluttered with cafes 
and flower vendors.
 You creep along, intent 
upon the place ahead 
where things open up. 
You jostle a table
 and the cups rattle. 
You bruise the geraniums 
and their scent 
spills over you. 
The clothes 
toss
 inside their basket.
 The colors 
dream
 of their escape.

--Tamra Hays

Submissions are most welcome. Email theditchrider@gmail.com.

Tags: hays, poetry

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Comment by Margaret Randall on August 16, 2009 at 8:44am: This one of the nicest poems you've published, among many good ones. I love the sensibility and the images, especially the way the poem ends. I just returned from Turkey, an astonishing country, and loved seeing the Turkish flag on your coffee cup in the photo.

Comment by Renee on August 16, 2009 at 9:41am: I lived in Turkey for two years. The people, the food carts and dancing bears in the streets... oh, and the food, good memories! Good people.

Comment by Rich Boucher on August 16, 2009 at 12:24pm: Nice, tight lines here. I especially found compelling the

"... The colors 
dream
 of their escape..."

line. Very nice work, Tamra. Thank you for the ride.

Comment by cc on August 16, 2009 at 10:21pm: The title gives this poem info about "the place ahead" and "escape."

'velly intelesting'. as the german soldier used to say on Laugh-in.

Comment by Ben Moffett on August 19, 2009 at 9:58am: Thumbs up, here. It sounds like it was set in Mountainair, but I don't think Mountainair has flower vendors and maybe only one cafe. And the street is not narrow enough. No.. Maybe Constantinople? Or a combination? There's surely a hint in the title,"Starting Over," but I'm still not sure. Anyway, I hope those colors have escaped.

Comment by Tamra Hays on August 19, 2009 at 5:20pm: Thanks, everybody! Hope to see some of you in Mountainair this Saturday for the Poets and Writers Picnic and the Sunflower Festival.