Selling the Smolder of Sorrow
The business of sorrow
is good for Joan Didion
who’s in the know about grief and love
her husband and daughter
buried in her books.
I confess I did not read her latest
as she talks on public radio pitching
sorrow and how to find a way out
but so far she hasn’t shouted,
“Buy My Book!”
Her voice softly accounting her losses
leading her to telling me
and you what she did
so discretely plugging,
“You need my book, Blue Nights.”
(Soft music transitioning on radio speaker…
Sound level increasing
Reggae beat overtaking soft music
Male voice now singing in Jamaican accent…)
“Don’t worry, bout’ a thing
cause’ everything’s gonna' be all right!
Don’t worry, bout’ a thing
cause’ you gotta' read Didion’s Blue Nights tonight!”
(Delicate theme music increases on radio speaker
Reggae beat fade out…)
“Blue Nights” whispers the announcer,
“Buy it while you are blue.”
Thanks Joan, for letting us inhale
the smolder of universal sorrow.
"Blue Nights" by Didion. On sale now!
(Delicate theme music trailing off…
Radio show ends).
Gregory Zeorlin 11/1/2011 7:45am
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Poem and Image Copyright 2011 Gregory Zeorlin
"Shadow Train"
No doubt Blue Nights
is a thoughtful book.
I'm just cynical about the publicity and marketing that is so fine tuned for attracting customers.
We mostly hear only what is cued up and ready to be sold.
gz
