At the Post Office of Souls, there's a late letter
and the hand that wrote it is the hand that delayed it.
The sorting machines are made of jacaranda and white iris--
only the postmistress is fully automated, an Egypto-Mechan perfect fit.
Stamps roll out from dreams and are hard to remember.
Women hired to sleep them also catalog--they are pregnant with postage
and have your address on file, a complete roster of your life in miniature.
They deliver you, cradle you, sing you on through to your dotage.
The aisles are of indigo water mermaid clerks circulate under
estimate arrival times, currents, allowing for windage and mercurial local poohbahs.
Open an envelope, catch the scent of lilacs, bribe Anubis with a kiss
and receive safe passage, receipt of contents, S.W.A.K and certified, you cannot lose us.
________
for Dverse "Compound Me." I have used "underestimate."
Good use of the compoud word's two root words. What an intersting world you paint with your poem. Thanks so much for posting to the prompt!
ReplyDeleteWow! One word took you into the galaxies. I am old enough to remember when my mother would spend two CENTS for a stamp, send me a letter from Vancouver, and it would reach me NEXT DAY in Kelowna. Now a stamp in Canada costs a dollar ten and takes a week. So much for mechanization. Humans did a much better job, as I am sure you, of all people, know.
ReplyDeleteThis is sly, witty and surreal, and I am loving the women who are hired to dream stamps in their sleep. "pregnant with postage"--the second line of the first stanza also kills. The picture painted here is one of communication run amok, under a carefully organized and extremely fragrant chaos, as only women could imagine. A complete delight, in every sense, Shay.
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative space and place to be. But also terrifying if they are cataloging my life in miniture. I will dream and pray for safe passage.
ReplyDeleteA compound delight! I admire the skillful manner in which you have incorporated them in this poem and especially love the idea of mermaid clerks circulating.💝
ReplyDeleteBeautifully bizarre! Loved your word choices. So many interesting phrases like "sorting machines are made of jacaranda and white iris", "pregnant with postage" and "indigo water mermaid clerks".
ReplyDeleteFrom the title on, this was a delight to read, Shay!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is so devilishly compelling, Shay. Of course, the postmistresses are "an Egypto-Mechan perfect fit."!
ReplyDeleteI love "pregnant with postage" and "bribe Anubis with a kiss
and receive safe passage." Just wonderful :-)
that's a US postal uniform i've need seen before, interesting... =) love the technical language, and the blending of nature and machine
ReplyDelete