Sunday 21 May 2017

Goodnight

by Eileen Murphy


I said to my husband, I’m not that tired
& I have cycles & sometimes
my writing is blocked
& I have to take advantage
when I have the fire
& you can suggest I go to bed
but don’t get mad
& then I pointed out that
the Orpheus tale never
mentions Eurydice’s feelings
& maybe she paused on
the doorstep following him out of
the Hades cavern
on purpose because she knew
she would always be following him
& he would always
be making noise,
“sweet noise” being
still noise
& then I lost it
& said, okay, a Caravaggio-style
angel
appeared in the bedroom
one night about a month ago
& told me god wanted
me to write

& that shut him up.


* * * * *

“Goodnight” was first published in White Pelican Review (Fall 2003)

A former Chicagolander, Eileen Murphy now lives 30 miles from Tampa. She received her Masters degree from Columbia College, Chicago. She teaches literature and English at Polk State College in Lakeland and has recently published poetry in Thirteen Myna Birds, Tinderbox (nominated for Pushcart Prize), Yes Poetry, The American Journal of PoetryRogue AgentDeaf Poets Society, and other journals.




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