Post-Erland Lee poetry (for Jeff Seffinga)

Poetry in the Carriage House

It's been another successful Erland Lee poetry reading. After a two-year change of venue it was good to meet old friends and read poetry again in the red Carriage House. I was particularly moved by the poetry of Jeff Seffinga, editor of Tower Poetry magazine: moved enough to write the following poem (for him)


"On Hearing Jeff say"

that the deer among wolves, quietly sore, a sweet
  Tempe in a savage place can be
   deadly

   But how exactly?

Well (I'd say) like a dirty crushing street-poet deadly
                                                        (poet of letters only!)

  but he'd say, no, like a hand's gentle absence, at dusk;
                                the cat's light wisdom ( dill on its lip):--
                                cat-heart getting lift from itself,
                                                   alone

           Of the poem in a savage place, Jeff'd say

       

Picture taken by Maria DiDiodato