W's Poem by Frank Avon

Listen to
the poetry of their names,
the sounds, associations,
juxtapositions.
Just listen:

John, Jennifer & Leonard,
Marsha, Sarah, Natasha

(listen, listen)

Sally, Mary, Duane,
Harriet, Diane & Robert
Lillian, Eileen, Steve & Kathryn,
Elaine & Andrea,
Carol, Thomas, James,

(no two the same
but all alike in one way
or another: they rhyme,
alliterate, ecbo, respond,
fly away side by side)

Rich & Elenor, Don, Charlotte,
Zach & Kati, Galen & Carolyn,
Thompson & Joan, David, Michael,
Joseph, Jeanne, Judith,
Claire, Portia, Sharon, Margot,
Bay & Scott, Marilyn & Robert,
Bob & Binney, Nicki, Beth & Todd

(they repeat each other, retreat,
some shout out, some whisper slyly,
no one stands alone, no two coalesce,
they dare, they double-dog dare)

Anne, Marjorie, Carol, Cheryl,
Jan, Cynthia, Sandra, Sandra,
Michel & David, Ben, Elizabeth

(oh, yes, those two too)

Scott, Kenneth, Hattie, Janet,
Kathleen, Anita & Shireen,
Leslie, Robert & Dawn,
Evie, Arleen, Gabriela,
Bob & Janet, Robert & Alice

(leave no one out,
though most are familiar,
and some are strange,
they lean against each other,
lead from one to another,
never silent, and silent still)

Terry & Jay, Lee, Edward,
Robin & Linda, Henry, Richard,
Jerald and Ingrid

(and then on into the Y's,
Ron and Robert and...
and then the Z's,
Holly & Vaughan,
Susan, Richard, Til & Carl,
and that's all there are -
listen to their names)


Listen to
the poetry of their names.