Missed Connections

The poetry challenge this Monday was to write a "personal ad" poem. I immediately started thinking of the "missed connections" section of the classified ads of many local weekly papers. The ads go something like this:

I was working the counter at Cimarron Coffee. You ordered the cafe au lait, and I forgot the steamed milk. I said I was sorry, but I meant to say you distracted me with your loveliness and would you want to have a beer together soon. Please come back in.

I've been memorizing poetry lately during my spare time at work. A certain poem was on my mind when I wrote my personal ad poem:

Photo by Andrew Beebe, Flickr Creative Commons

Missed Connections: You, on the Horse

Last solstice,

During the great snow,

You stopped by my woods.

I heard your horse's bells,

Caught their silver glint beneath

The moon, discerned your snow-lit

Cheek. I saw you there, I did.

These woods are lonely.

Come back soon.

Come back soon.

(c) Stephanie Parsley 

(Thanks once again to The Miss Rumphius Effect for the challenge.)

P.S. In researching Missed Connections ads, I came across a beautifully illustrated book of missed connections. The author, Sophie Blackall, also has a blog full of her work.