ASHES AND DIRT: A RIFF ON A LINE BY DAVID FERRY
The dinner was delicious, fresh greens, and reds,
And yellows, produce of the season due,
And fish from the nearby sea; and there were also
Ashes to be eaten, and dirt to drink.
David Ferry
You’re welcome to say whatever it is you think
about what we have to offer you today.
We’ve got some ashes to eat and dirt to drink.
Fellows, I beg you, do not make a stink.
We had to eat one of those yesterday.
You’re welcome to say whatever it is you think.
"This stuff's not drinkable! You need a shrink!"
Great! Keep those comments coming. Just please stay.
There's lots of ashes to eat and dirt to drink.
No, this is not some culinary kink!
It’s more profound than that in every way.
You’re welcome to say whatever it is you think.
I now quote Lewis Carroll with a wink:
“jam yesterday, jam tomorrow, but never jam today…”
Today it’s ashes to eat and dirt to drink.
A toast to whatever’s on our plates. Ca-chink!
This repast is not going to go away.
You’re welcome to say whatever it is you think.
But we’ve got ashes to eat and dirt to drink.
"Ashes and Dirt," is a riff on some lines from a poem by the Massachusetts poet, David Ferry, who taught for many years at Wellesley College and has published many respected translations of canonical works.
Monica Raymond is a poet and playwright long based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, currently relocating to the Twin Cities. Her work has been published most recently in the Colorado Review and online at qarrtsiuluni.com. She was the Nadya Aisenberg Fellow in Poetry at the Writers Room of Boston and a 2008 Massachusetts Cultural Council Finalist in poetry.
(author retains copyright)
