poem: A weekly poem, read by the author.

"Envelope"

By Dana Goodyear
Posted Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004, at 11:56 AM ET

Listen to Dana Goodyear reading this poem.

I got one from the widow,
no note, just a key.
I sent one to the widower
and it arrived empty.
He got one from a friend
already dead in '43,
then came home to deliver
six thousand boom babies.

I came to you too late,
too little, too ungenerously.
Your heart was bloody full
when I begged it to take care of me.



Print This ArticlePRINTDiscuss this in The FrayDISCUSSEmail to a FriendE-MAIL
Share on FacebookPost to MySpace!Share with MixxDigg ThisShare with RedditShare with del.icio.usShare with FurlShare with Ma.gnolia.comShare with SphereShare with Stumble Upon
Dana Goodyear is an editor at The New Yorker.
Click here to visit Robert Pinsky's Favorite Poem Project site.


To submit poetry to Slate, send up to five poems and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Robert Pinsky, Slate Magazine, Boston University, 236 Bay State Road, Boston, MA, 02215.
Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum
What did you think of this article?
POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES
Washington Post
The Washington Post
OPINIONS
The Great Debate
Marcus | Forget Biden. I'd like to see McCain face off against Palin.
Toles: Another McCain SurpriseStumped: Where's Palin's Baby?