Gwen

Gwen

Original Text
Collected Poems of Raymond Souster, Vol. 9: 1993-1995 (Ottawa: Oberon Press, 2003): 117. PS 8537 O87A17 Robarts Library
1At the poetry reading
2in Croft House, she wrote down
3her phone-number on a piece of paper,
4said, give me a call some time.
5But I never did,
6instead, walked one day
7the few blocks to 240 Robert Street,
8then, much too unsure to knock,
9went back by the way I'd come.
10They're saying near the end
11she went searching neighbourhood alleys
12for stray cats, and of course
13drank far too much,
14but I don't want to know about it.
15Enough that I walked by her house,
16afraid our lives over so many years
17had drifted too far apart
18for even casual conversation,
19afraid where she was bold,
20cautious where she took chances,
21not wanting even now to believe
22she could easily have died all alone.

Notes

2] Croft Chapter House, University College, University of Toronto, a popular venue for literary events. Back to Line
7] A house between Harbord Street and Bloor Street, just west of Spadina, near the University of Toronto. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1995
Publication Notes
No Sad Songs Wanted Here (1995)
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2006
Special Copyright

&#169; 2004 <i>Collected Poems of Raymond Souster, Vol. 9: 1993-1995</i> Oberon Press (from which written permission to reproduce must be obtained in advance).