I Am Reminded: She Knows What She Is Doing

We go to the laundromat
And I remember she’s an engineer,
Engineer, she’s an engineer.
I watch her fold her clothes;
I know what she is. No embellishment—
To the task, to fold,
To the filling of the laundry bag.
The papers on the table,
The new sound, the one sound in the room,
The new sound, the one sound
That wasn’t there before.
Tying the bag, ready to go,
The engineer,
I know her.
I am the poet. We are here.

I particularly like this, Peter. I like the title and what you have to say with the poem...contrasting the routine with the not so routine.

People are not always as they appear...and that can be troublesome when so many make assumptions by appearances. I like to think of it as the "Columbo" phenomenon. I'm also brought to thinking about how the weak often like to appear strong, while the strong often don't mind if they appear weak...understated. On a competitive level (which I certainly don't get from the poem), it can be the underestimation of the opponent, coupled with arrogance, that brings the surprise ending.

In this poem, I like that the speaker is reminded. Whether he needs to remind himself, whether she must remind him, or whether it is simply a thought that pops into his head for no particular reason other than to celebrate and value the moment and/or the person....doesn't really matter. I just like that he is reminded.

cheers,

Mary

Thanks, Mary, for commenting. I'm not always so sure I should be laying out my love for other people, but I guess it's ok. My take on the scene is "it is simply a thought that pops into his head for no particular reason other than to celebrate and value the moment and/or the person."

cheers,

Peter

Peter, your take on the scene is what rang through most when reading the poem. I know what you mean, though, about laying things out there. When ruminating about a poem, I often give my reaction, laying out personal thoughts and feelings evoked by the read, which may or may not have anything to do with the poem or the poet's intention. I often respond with comments born of my own personal experiences, which perhaps is rude, or at least comes off as rude, in many instances. And with my tendancy to want to be understood...or not to be misunderstood, I then overexplain...like I'm probably doing now. Anyway, I apologize if my comments came off rudely.

Mary

Peter:

Your talent at discovering subtle levels of meaning in the seemingly mundane events of life and transforming them into poetry has always impressed me. This is another excellent example.

Joe

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2009 09:30AM by hpesoj.

Ah - I thought it was great. And I agree with Joe - transforming a simple trip to the laundromat. Made me smile.

Belle

Mary,

You weren't rude at all. Joseph, thanks...that is what I thought, the mundane is poetic. Belle, glad it made you smile.

amo all,

Peter