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15 Mar: "Song of Smoke" by Kevin Young

Song of Smoke

Related Poem Content Details

To watch you walk
cross the room in your black

corduroys is to see
civilization start—

the wish-
whish-whisk

of your strut is flint
striking rock—the spark

of a length of cord
rubbed till

smoke starts—you stir
me like coal

and for days smoulder.
I am no more

a Boy Scout and, besides,
could never

put you out—you
keep me on

all day like an iron, out
of habit—

you threaten, brick-
house, to burn

all this down. You leave me
only a chimney.

2 comments:

  1. A lot of power in this poem- both fear and courage...imagery, you leave me only a chimney....smoke coming out of the ears?
    Assume that he speaks of his father....acting his power over the household...instilling fear- it is crazy how this was a lot of how people were raised in the old days, I wonder how many households still hold to this idea or power?

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  2. I didn't see the father son dynamic. I like that interpretation.

    I can also see a couple. The fire is a metaphor for fighting. It starts and then just turns to a chimney of smoke. The smoke a symbol for the destructive things people say when they get upset.

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