Vox Populi
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Danusha Laméris: Thinking
Don’t you wish they would stop, all the thoughts
swirling around in your head, bees in a hive, dancers
tapping their way across the stage? I should rake the leaves
in the carport, buy Christmas lights. Was there really life on Mars?
What will I cook for dinner? I walk up the driveway,
put out the garbage bins. I should stop using plastic bags,
visit my friend whose husband just left her for the Swedish nanny.
I wish I hadn’t said Patrick’s painting looked “ominous.”
Maybe that’s why he hasn’t called. Does the car need oil again?
There’s a hole in the ozone the size of Texas and everything
seems to be speeding up. Come, let’s stand by the window
and look out at the light on the field. Let’s watch how the clouds
cover the sun and almost nothing stirs in the grass.
Copyright ©2013 by Danusha Laméris. From The Moons of August (Autumn House Press, 2013). Poem reprinted by permission of the publisher.
Danusha Laméris’s first book of poems, The Moons of August (2014), was chosen by Naomi Shihab Nye as the winner of the Autumn House Press poetry prize. Her second book is Bonfire Opera (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2020). She lives in Santa Cruz.
Vox Populi 
I love this poem and the book and the poet! 💖
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Danusha is a wonderful poet, and there’s the added bonus of her being a wonderful person.
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Hahaha, this is excellent. I often have to shush my thoughts because they get so loud and busy I can’t think straight! 😀 xxx
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Haha, thanks Miranda. Yes a busy mind…. me too.
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You’re welcome. 😀 Hahaha. 😀
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Oh that monkey mind. Sometimes I can leave it behind when I meditate
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Yes, but it always returns, doesn’t it?
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ahhh one of my favorite writers — I love Danusha’s poems, her heart, her dedication to the poetry community.
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As do I, dear Laure-Anne.
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This poet describes, all too often, my mind. Fortunately, perhaps for all of us, the newer darting thoughts quickly overwhelm and obliterate the others.
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Thanks, Mel. Yes, I too have a busy busy mind like a tribe of chattering monkeys.
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Very lovely, and yes—let’s…
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thanks, Sean.
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