(After Frank O’Hara)

by Annisa Tangreen

 A note to readers: This poem is part of a journal of imitations done in the spring of 2011 for a class on contemporary American poetry given by Professor Tenney Nathanson at the University of Arizona.  This particular poem is an imitation of the style of Frank O’Hara, a 20th century American poet.  The other poems in the series consist of an imitation of Charles Bernstein (Thorny Crowns of Optimism), John Ashbery (Do Not Worry They Are Coming), and Leslie Scalapino (Choices).

Today I bathed in the big garden tub
under the window
with the bamboo shade rolled up
unsure if the neighbor saw and not having
much faith in bamboo anyway.
I read poetry,
exfoliated, depilated, and meditated.
The kids aren’t home
and the house is silent
(except for the snoring dogs).
I’m thinking of you.
You’ve sold your house
now, after all the dust is settled,
to a kid who just signed a record contract,
and happened to be parked next door when you drove up.
That means we can get married. But

the world is so unstable right now
and I’ve been enjoying
things the way they are.
Egypt just tossed out Mubarak
like I tossed out my ex –
only twenty years a tyrant, blustering
cowardly bravado in a muscle shirt
but he put up more of a fight –
and God only knows
if they will enjoy their freedom
or replace Mubarak
with a different tyrant cowardly
or boldly, it doesn’t matter.
Not that you’re a tyrant, no,
but you demand so much
of my time and I,
like the Egyptian people,
just want a little peace and quiet sometimes.