The Word from the Corner - Good Bones By Maggie Smith

The Word from the Corner Sometimes it's hard to know whether to go up or down. What is needed. Anyone who loves how words can capture a thought or a moment learns to go with what the moment says, and what is needed. And step out of the way. Sometimes down is up, you know? You gotta laugh sometimes. Or cry. Or both at the same time. Here's one by Maggie Smith that did that for me. Enjoy. I hope. Peace. _____________________________________________ Good Bones By Maggie Smith Life is short, though I keep this from my children. Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways, a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative estimate, though I keep this from my children. For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird. For every loved child, a child broken, bagged, sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world is at least half terrible, and for every kind stranger, there is one who would break you, though I keep this from my children. I am trying to sell them the world. Any decent realtor, walking you through a real shithole, chirps on about good bones: This place could be beautiful, right? You could make this place beautiful. ____________________________________________ From "The Best American Poetry 2017", edited by Natasha Tretheway and David Lehman. The Best American Poetry 2017 Find more poetry in the North Andover area here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/northandoverpoets/