The Truffle Farmer

I hope poetry remains an unknowable, groping process fraught with mystery. I cannot remember when I had more fun writing a poem. It was like being invited to an after party at Cirque Du Soleil.

This thing tried to run off on me like a crazed horse, but I reigned him in. This is the reigned in version.

                      The Truffle Farmer

      Truffles are such stubborn bastards-
            growing only when and where
                          they want to.
                    The ground must be 
                  the right kind of fertile.
            Goldilocks must be in charge
                of the rain, not too much,
                          not too little.
                If you make great friends
                    with a pig or a dog
           they may sniff them out for you.
              
            With an empty bag of truffles
               we checked the schedule
                      at the asylum and
                    visited the art class.
                We were appalled to find
                  a swirling abomination
              painted by that one eared,
                  ginger bearded lunatic
                     (but we don’t use
                    that word anymore).

              With the bang of the gavel
                    ringing off the walls
               of the municipal building,
       poems have been commissioned
                    and then forgotten
                before the echo fades.

               If Goldilocks had a twin,
               she could be in charge
                      of temperature,
              not too cold, not too hot.                 
                   She would have to
             monitor the temperature,
                       very carefully,
                the way a nurse does
                  when falling in love
                     with the patient.
                         Is it ethical
            to check his temperature
                        with a kiss?
                 Will that encourage
           spontaneous combustion?

                              8/23