Echoes

[RiverNotch]

Echoes (Senryu)


Women’s loud complaints
penetrate motel’s thin walls—
life, or NPR?

Funny how the word "Women's"  opens up the possibility of a political statement whether the rest of the poem intends it or not. (more so in a short piece)

"penetrate" carries enough connotations as to be a pretty decent one word poem on its own. It's one of those weighty words that can get ahead of a poem. If "women's" was not plural, I could easily be distracted into thinking this was a wailing rape victim. However,this is an ambiguity that only survives a clumsy read. So I have no complaints. 

Not just "Women's". "NPR" being National Public Radio multiplies that weight, making a reading of this as some sort of comment on feminism's entrance into the public discourse practically irresistible. But whether it's a negative or a positive comment, I myself cannot say, not without a lot of bad faith: the most I've heard of NPR is podcasts and tiny desk concerts.