Poem of the Week: “a new project for…”

This was sort of a failed weird attempt at a villanelle (misunderstood the directions for the form, & made it even harder on myself, typical me!) in a college poetry class. It was later published in Irreantum.

a new project for one of
god’s hopeful young apprentices

so,
can
you
bite
sand
stone?

this stone
is so
soft. sand
rocks can
even bite
on you

though. well you
chew the stone
like this. bite
down smoothly, so
your teeth can
separate the sand

grit from the sand
stone, and spit. you
see, it honestly can
be done. the stone
isn’t really all so
hard. take a bite

making sure it doesn’t bite
back. see the smooth sand
on the beaches, spread so
evenly? this is for you–
your job. take each stone.
grind it into this can

with your teeth. there, you can
do it. it’s easy. each bite
gets easier. make sand from stone.
the beaches are losing their sand
because tourists take home souvenirs. you
are responsible, it’s your project, so

if you fail, no promotion. mr. sand-
erson is the super. i know you
will do well, philip. work hard. even so.

Published in Irreantum, Issue #2, June 1999, pp. 29-30

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