Friday, June 3, 2011

Poetry Friday--"Miracle Ice Cream"



Last weekend was hot and sunny. All the windows were open and from about 10 AM on, I would hear the sounds of the ice cream truck.

When I came across "Miracle Ice Cream" by Adrienne Rich, I knew it was the one for me to share this week.
MIRACLE's truck comes down the little avenue,
Scott Joplin ragtime strewn behind it like pearls,
and, yes, you can feel happy
with one piece of your heart.

Take what's still given: in a room's rich shadow
a woman's breast swinging lightly as she bends.
Early now the pearl of dusk dissolves.
Late, you sit weighing the evening news,
fast-food miracles, ghostly revolutions,
the rest of your heart.

1992

© Adrienne Rich from Dark Fields of the Republic: Poems 1991-1995 [W.W. Norton, 1995]
I love the tunes the ice cream truck plays as it makes its rounds. No Scott Joplin in my neighborhood, but there's a good old dose of Stephen Foster. Here's a haiku I wrote last year, at the beginning of the season:
way down upon the swa...
the ice cream truck
hurries past

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
I have a big piece of my heart always ready for the ice cream truck, but all I eat is the music and the childhood memories!

It's still too early in the morning for ice cream, so while you're waiting for things to heat up, head over to Toby's Writer's Armchair and sit a while reading through the Round-Up.

--Diane

The photo was taken by John Ferrell, 1942, in Washington, D.C., and comes to us courtesy the Library of Congress.

4 comments:

Andrea Murphy said...

You know your childhood has ended when you hear the ice cream man coming up the street and you don't start hopping from foot to foot and begging the nearest adult for money. Thanks for the memory, Diane!

Travel Guides for Women said...

Really lovely and yummy post, D.

Great haiku!

J

GatheringBooks said...

It's so great to have stumbled upon your blog through the Poetry Roundup in the kidlitosphere - I've always been a fan of Adrienne Rich, but this particular poem I haven't encountered yet. Thank you for posting it. I'd have another favorite yet again. =)

Diane Mayr said...

Nice to meet you Myra!