Lost, Canal-side

Poem of the Day:
"Pink Moon" by Maggie Nelson
Something Bright, Then Holes

Nelson has a very simple but musical quality to her pieces; they are like chocolate to the ear. In "Pink Moon" her tone is very prosaic, tending to the narrative. She writes, "A perfect day at the canal, the sun on my back/healing me, or so I imagined" (lines 1-2).

This morning I tried to recreate the first few lines of Nelson's poem; I went for a run along the river, trying to begin my "perfect day at the canal." Instead, I got lost. I merged into hordes of BU orientation students, considered grabbing a red packet and joining them, but then eventually made the (wise) decision to turn around and just run back from where I had come.

My story is mediocre and makes little of the world along the river while Nelson's work takes full notice. She writes of the relationship between human and moon, water; "But I know the moon/has compassion for us. So does the water" (lines 9-10). It is a relationship of renewal; when she looks at the moon she thinks "it might heal us...with its unbelievable pink/color" (lines 5-6).

Pink moon, red orientation folders; a colorful day as painted by Nelson and my poor sense of direction.

Sincerely,
A Poem A Day Audrey