Three Poems by Alicia Ostriker

The Blessing of the Old Woman, the Tulip and the Dog

To be blessed said the old woman is to have so many grandchildren love just washes through you like milk through a cow

to be blessed said the dark red tulip is to knock their eyes out with the slug of lust implied by your up-ended skirt

to be blessed said the dog is to have a pinch of God inside you and all the other dogs can smell it

Dear God

It used to be I would fall to the floor and press my forehead to it in moments of despair

I would say help me help me

but listen I am ok but I just now found myself pressing my forehead to the carpet of my stairs

about the waters in the flooded cities poisoned by oilspill, chemicals, the dead about the survivors forever traumatized dear god I am alive I am alive help them

The Drone

Get a move on it says every year,

day, hour, minute keep going, keeping up the good work, go on with

your task, it never stops reminding me how badly I am doing it

*

I have to straighten out my love life first get that on an even keel

I say, but it says don’t fool yourself love lives never get straightened out

they are by nature crooked get back to work you don’t have forever

* Live to you now from the hypothalamus here it comes again the drone

at the base of my skull or the voice of joy singing duets with her partner death

same old task gather grief like straw spin it into praise