Poetry Friday – The Collected Works of Susan Ramsey
Lip Service
I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.
Duke Ellington
And oh, it does take energy
and stubbornness, ‘cause if you laugh, you lose.
My cousin warning “You don’t pull in that lip
a little bird is gonna come along
and do something on it.”
The hero of The Thirteen Clocks
stumbling in a dungeon,
in the dark, steps on “ something
made entirely of lip.” Terri says
her husband used to be a better kisser
back when he still played trumpet.
Nora Ephron says that once you’re married
the kissing stops. Nina’s lover
said in awe, “I bet you could smoke
a cigarette with that.” Steve knew.
After she left
he put his lips together
and blew.
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About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Kirkus, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on BlueSky at: @fuse8.bsky.social
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Ah, the blurred lines between jazz and blues. Nice piece.