Barbara E. Young is a native of Nashville TN. She and Jim and the cats now live a few miles west, in an area with bluebirds and visible stars.
Barbara quit writing at age 26 because she didn't have anything important to say. Around forty years later she decided that important things are over-rated. When her first published poem was nominated for a Pushcart she thought: Hey, this is easy. She was mistaken, but she is having fun.
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The Big Show
This poem begins at 4pm, in front of the TV,
on a green rug, edited for time. It is a Tuesday,
so even joy will have consequences. Friday,
and this poem might crush Tokyo or be doomed
to drink your blood. Wednesday, comic; Monday,
a mystery; Thursday, romance with song&dance.
This poem might have been fun with giant ants
in tap shoes. Or werewolves. What if the love
story took place onstage, not in teary flashbacks?
There might be a murder. Color. Bar fights. But
this poem begins at 4pm Tuesday. You know
that accepting any premise has consequences.