Toast
Leonard Nathan
There was a woman in Ithaca
who cried softly all night
in the next room and helpless
I fell in love with her under the blanket
of snow that settled on all the roofs
of the town, filling up
every dark depression.
Next morning
in the motel coffee shop
I studied all the made-up faces
of women. Was it the middle-aged blonde
who kidded the waitress
or the young brunette lifting
her cup like a toast?
Love, whoever you are,
your courage was my companion
for many cold towns
after the betrayal of Ithaca,
and when I order coffee
in a strange place, still
in a strange place, still
I say, lifting, this is for you.
From Good Poems for Hard Times: Selected and Introduced by Garrison Keillor
Lovely poem, and I really like Good Poems for Hard Times — I received a copy as a gift and have read through it often!
I especially like this poem because I’m from that general area in NY (I lived about 35 minutes from Ithaca). Anything (nice) that reminds me of home has a special place reserved in my heart.
(I’m a fan of Garrison Keillor, too, and I’m not surprised he also liked this poem.)
You know, Heather, I think Keillor has excellent taste in poetry. I usually really enjoy the anthologies he edits.
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What a beautiful and rich poem. It had just the touch of romance that I prefer in the poetry that I enjoy, and it was also somehow nostalgic. Loved this! More, please!
Sort of reminds me of the time we were in a very cheap motel and I could hear a guy partying and then puking all night in the next room, and the next day, I tried to figure out who he was! (so I could give him dirty looks, not because I was in love with him!)
LOL!
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I spent this whole poem thinking it was about Penelope from the Odyssey. And then I looked back over it and was like, Actually, no. This is clearly about Ithaca, NY; and then I felt dumb. :p
That is fantastic! I’ve heard of Garrison Keillor, but know nothing about him.