Scarecrow Pretends
How may I claim another’s earth for myself? My perpetual
stance invites occlusion of the senses and a certain disregard
for dignity; I flap in the breeze and bits of me scatter across
the fields. Sze asks if we know a bird’s name in ten
languages do we know any more about the bird. I say no,
but I am a species of stitched remnants and expectation,
a race of one. Genderless, my hollow name holds no secrets,
no history. If I called myself Hudson would anyone recognize
my stuffing for what it is not? What flows through my clothing
but rags, straw, the useless and unwanted. Insects and their feces.
The unearned, the unwarranted. The underclass. Folly. Design.
Gift by delusion. Does attracting more crows than I deter negate
my existence? And which am I? A river? A man? An effigy, one
perception, or another? I do not frighten, but welcome. Speak
louder, that we may ignore our insignificance, our true names.
“Scarecrow Pretends” was published in The Slag Review in January 2017, and a few months later was mentioned in an article in the Long River Review’s blog: “Scarecrow Pretends: Robert Okaji’s Metallurgy.”
Scarecrow is more than one perception … but one of those on this receiving end is “friend” … I read these Scarecrow poems and feel a sense of communal togetherness, as if Scarecrow were across the table sharing coffee (or perhaps I’m out in the field seated next to Scarecrow, coffee in my thermos) …
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Ah, thank you, Jazz. I can picture you sitting by Scarecrow, sipping coffee, absorbing the morning.
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Scarecrow always turns my day in the right direction.
what’s in a name, anyway? (K)
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Names can be so misleading!
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Even to ourselves…
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A cautionary tale.
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Some searching observations and questions. Did you ever see Jon Pertwee in Worzel Gummidge (British TV)? Kids’ show but well worth a look … https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x68vwh7
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I’m not familiar with the show, but will have to check it out. Thank you.!
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If I called myself Hudson….wait…oh….
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Ha!
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