*

Somerville Bagel Bard and Brookline Poet Laureate Zvi A. Sesling sent us this poem about the late poet Harry Weldon Kees. Kees was an American poet, painter, literary critic, novelist, playwright, jazz pianist, short story writer, and filmmaker.

Foggy, Foggy Night

— In memory of Weldon Kees

In a photo sitting on the sidewalk a

newspaper under him for protection,

his poster behind him

wearing a striped T-shirt and white

jacket, scuffed or perhaps paint splattered

loafers

You focus on the short, neat hair, then the

moustache, the long fingers that

play piano

In another photo half the room, half of him

is in shadow black and white, he sits

with a stare of emptiness, the long fingers

hanging from armrests, the white jacket

over the left shoulder, he stares into

a void

Some scotch or bourbon to fortify bravery,

a salute to the bartender, a drive to the bridge

where he remembers failing before, he remembers

the former wife in the asylum, the other woman

with whom he spent the night, the moderate success,

the excess of failure, his poor life

His car is found, he is not

never seen again, assumed to have finally

succeeded to meet the dark waters of forever

on a foggy night

In mid air there is no return

— Zvi A. Sesling

_________________________________________

To have your work considered for the Lyrical send it to:
Doug Holder, 25 School St.; Somerville, MA 02143
dougholder@post.harvard.edu