Take it slow

A couple of poems and a song

Dear readers, as you know, Tokyo Calling is devoted, among other things, to the joys of slow life. I recently subscribed to Ponytail Press and in one of their latest posts I found two marvelous poems by Kathy Galloway and “Fireside,” a song by Yo La Temgo.

If you prefer, you can read the poems while listening to the song. It’s a long instrumental work.

“Prize-Giving” - Kathy Galloway

I am planning to offer a prize
for the person who comes in last

the one easily distracted
by the interesting
things
along
the
way
the one who stopped to talk
idled
by
the roadside
lifting her face like a sunflower

the one who stilled her breathing
to keep pace with
elderly gentlemen
and the slow rise
of the moon

the one who noticed the pulse beating
beneath the tanned woman’s skin
and forgot where he was going
for several minutes

and found himself
admiring strange architecture
and smelling fish and oranges
up an alley

thehighadrenalinesoakedthrillofgoingsomewherefast
is not to be compared
with the low-down pleasures
o f  b e i n g  s o m e w h e r e
s   l   o   w

I am on a mission to convert the world
I shall be offering prizes

“A Time to Kill” - Kathy Galloway

Shall we kill some time together
you and I

murder a few clocks
neglect the radio alarm
sentence diaries to slow burning
or better
overcrowd them to extinction

hopelessly confuse annual events
by holding them to the whims of toddlers
and making every day a birthday

…

Of course, we wouldn’t kill it all

We’ll save the free time
We’ll keep the good times

We’ll have the time of our lives

---

And this is one of my favorite songs.

Do you manage to take it slow? How? Do tell.