O at the Edges

Musings on poetry, language, perception, numbers, food, and anything else that slips through the cracks.

Countdown: #1, Recording of “The Draft”

Posted on January 1, 2018 by robert okaji

My last five posts of 2017 are reruns of five of the most viewed posts on this site during the year.

The Draft

All memories ignite, he says, recalling
the odor of accelerants and charred

friends. Yesterday I walked to the sea
and looking into its deep crush

sensed something unseen washing
out, between tides and a shell-cut foot,

sand and the gull’s drift, or the early names
I assign to faces. This is not sadness.

Somewhere the called numbers meet.

* * *

“The Draft” first appeared in Taos Journal of International Poetry & Art.

By far, the most popular post on the blog in 2017, bolstered, no doubt, by a plug on WordPress’s Discover.

18 thoughts on “Countdown: #1, Recording of “The Draft””

Arbie on December 31, 2017 at 10:30 am said:

Yeeesss a recording. Such a treat! Not surprised this was one of the top five. 💜

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- robert okaji on December 31, 2017 at 11:16 am said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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varjakBaby on December 31, 2017 at 1:24 pm said:

Aww Taos is invite-only!

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- robert okaji on December 31, 2017 at 1:29 pm said:
  
  They occasionally have open reading periods.
  
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10000hoursleft on December 31, 2017 at 5:03 pm said:

So I finally broke my resolve to not listen to your recordings. Lovely poem and so strange to hear your voice…in my imagination, it was more gruff or something. Happy new year!

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2018 at 9:35 am said:
  
  I find it strange to hear my voice, too! 🙂In my imagination it’s quite different. Much better.
  
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  - 10000hoursleft on January 1, 2018 at 2:32 pm said:
    
    I think we all think that about our own voices. No, you have a nice voice 😊
    
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    - robert okaji on January 1, 2018 at 3:00 pm said:
      
      I’ll have to make do, as I’m stuck with it. 🙂
      
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      - 10000hoursleft on January 1, 2018 at 3:00 pm said:
        
        Ha yes.
        
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lorac888890 on December 31, 2017 at 8:28 pm said:

Thank you for the like. It’s nice to read poems, I write them too. Take care and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2018 at 9:36 am said:
  
  Happy New Yeat!
  
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derrickjknight on January 1, 2018 at 4:16 am said:

So powerful

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2018 at 9:36 am said:
  
  Thanks, Derrick. Happy New Year.
  
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  - derrickjknight on January 1, 2018 at 10:41 am said:
    
    You, too, Bob
    
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knlistman on January 1, 2018 at 9:43 am said:

A very different theme for you.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2018 at 10:57 am said:
  
  It sprang from the same place, but perhaps took a slightly different turn.
  
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memadtwo on January 1, 2018 at 10:47 am said:

Numbers have many manifestations. (K)

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2018 at 10:58 am said:
  
  So true, Kerfe.
  
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