“Days of Pie and Coffee”

Tate, James. “Days of Pie and Coffee.” Shroud of the Gnome. Hopewell: Ecco Press, 1997. pp 2 -4.

This is such a simple image. A man is walking his dog (a golden retriever no less) along a country road. He and the dog are startled by a motorist roaring up and looking for directions. A stranger in this part of the world is such a shock to the man and yet he finds easy conversation with the stranger…as if they are sitting down to a meal of pie and coffee.

I like the powerful descriptions in the poem. It’s not just a poem, it’s a story when you can see the images and feel as if you are there. The act of being startled because you don’t expect a motorist in your little part of the world. A conversation that haltingly starts with mistrust and grows easier with familiarity.

BookLust Twist: From Book Lust in the chapter called, “Kitchen-Sink Poetry” (p 138). Note: this missed getting included in the index.