Today’s poem is Chick Magnets by Thomas Moore. He has published three books of poems: The Bolt-Cutters (2010), Chet Sawing (2012), and Saving Nails (2016) and is Belfast’s Poet Laureate.
Tom says that he was at a poetry reading at Left Bank Books “I realized I was the only guy in the room. That prompted the poem. I wrote many drafts.”
Chick Magnets
by Thomas Moore
It’s the Patriots’ home opener
and I’m at a poetry opening in Maine.
The Pats are playing the Cincinnati Bengals
and Tom Brady is here at the poetry reading!
Tom, I say, why aren’t you in Foxborough?
Oh, he says, I’ve always liked poetry and
I’m making seventy-two mil
so I can do what I want—
Coach Belichick isn’t too happy though.
The poets read about Cranberry Island,
mice in bread boxes, dragon-flies,
Morocco, eating oysters in Grand Central Station,
summer cottages, and, well, you know,
the kind of stuff poets write about:
heartbreak, and a lot of asters by the side of the road.
This Savory and James is good stuff, says Tom
after the reading, smoother than Bud Light.
And this is a lot easier than throwing passes—
his left knee twitches and lifts slightly—
and getting trashed by the Bengals’ defense.
Plus, these poetry readings are real chick magnets—
you and I are the only guys here!
Poem copyright © 2012 Thomas R. Moore.
Reprinted from Chet Sawing, Fort Hemlock Press, 2012
by permission of Thomas R. Moore.