|
|
||
|
Iowa Writes MARK HANLEY An old Chevy flatbed A middle-aged, white man with hair like the Dirt He must farm Pulled in the parking lot with his antiquated but beloved truck It seemed out of place among the chic and shiny cars and SUVs of the other coffeehouse patrons But the truck was not ashamed And neither was he He lit a king-size filter cigarette while most customers saw that rolled tobacco as abominable But the man was true to who he was Even if it meant being out of place and in another time Period. He waited for his black coffee to brew, the kind that goes so well with a Marlboro Red His coffee was so unlike the frappes, cappuccinos, and lattes of the others But his flatbed had waited long enough They slowly returned to that Iowa dirt that was sacred to them both They returned to who they were before they pulled in that alien parking lot They returned to who they were An old Chevy flatbed. |
About Iowa Writes Since 2006, Iowa Writes has featured the work of Iowa-identified writers (whether they have Iowa roots or live here now) and work published by Iowa journals and publishers on The Daily Palette. Iowa Writes features poetry, fiction, or nonfiction twice a week on the Palette. In November of 2008, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Iowa City, Iowa, the world's third City of Literature, making the community part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Iowa City has joined Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia as UNESCO Cities of Literature. Find out more about submitting by contacting iowa-writes@uiowa.edu MARK HANLEY Mark Hanley graduated with a B.A. in Russian in 2007 from the University of Iowa. Besides improving his poetry, he enjoys playing the violin, reading, and a strong cup of coffee. |
This page was first displayed
| ||||||||
| ||||
|
|
