Poem of the Day: "The Blue Picnic" by Ross Balcom

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review is pleased to present "The Blue Picnic" by Ross Balcom as the Poem of the Day for December 3, 2014.  Mr. Balcom has been a frequent contributor to the Songs of Eretz Poetry E-zine where a brief bio may be found.

The Blue Picnic

Ross Balcom

1.

I will not be held accountable

for my dog's paintings.

2.

A year ago,

my wife disappeared.

She was piloting a small plane

on an afternoon jaunt

with her friend and co-pilot,

Gladys.

The day was sunny,

the sky blue.

According to witnesses,

a large flying saucer

swept out of nowhere

and swallowed her plane.

Then the saucer was gone.

My wife has not been seen since.

(Neither has Gladys,

but nobody misses her.)

3.

A week after the incident,

my dog painted this picture:

a fierce blue void,

a yawning sort of

maw    a sort of

a a a

I mean, it's beautiful,

the blue

beautiful and terrifying,

somehow

that a dog could

would

.

He titled it "The Blue Picnic."

(Title in the corner, lower right.)

4.

His little paws

daubed with blue.

5.

I washed the paint

from his paws.

Then, mysteriously,

his eyes turned blue.

6.

Strange lights and shapes

appear in his eyes at times.

(Those eyes still blue,

so very blue.)

He watches the skies.

7.

Out of nowhere,

came the saucer,

with one mission:

to break a dog's heart.

To break a dog's heart.

(Well, it broke mine, too.)

8.

awrooooooooo!

Poet's Notes:  The title came first: I wanted to write a poem called "The Blue Picnic." The result was this playful piece about a flying saucer, a missing loved one, and a brokenhearted dog with a penchant for painting.

By the way, I have tremendous respect for dogs. I think they can teach us more about love than all the "saints" combined.

Editor's Note:  I enjoy the nonsensical, psychedelic aspects of this piece.  Also, I share Mr. Balcom's view on dogs.