Poetry at the Post-Prague: Twisted in Language

High Tension Lines across a Landscape
BY JOHN CIARDI

Beyond me. There are signs of something

On my visit to the Musuem of Modern Art in Vienna, I came across this painting by Lois Weinberger entitled “Field Work 2010.”

This paint marker work in oil is of words.
Words.

I’ve been forced to consider words,
their meaning,
as I travel through Central
Europe. Eltévedtem
A francba! But
for the brief stay in Vienna-
German, ja!-
I have been clueless.

I’ve tried deduction. At times
this works. I’ve felt dumb
& twisted. Yet, at night
I find myself laughing in high
tension….. Kde je prosím záchod?

What I’ll remember is elusive
Perhaps it will be the beauty of the night,
the buildings…

On the open palms of the diagram.
There is
Shining, I suppose, in that city at nigh

Enjoy today’s poem by John Ciardi, or as he was known in his day, Mr. Poet.