Classic and Contemporary Poetry
GET OUT OF TOWN, by THOMAS MCGRATH Poet's Biography First Line: Get out of town before it's too late Last Line: A thousand miles from water and as far from wood Subject(s): Escapes; Fugitives | ||||||||
Get out of town before it's too late While the speedboat is frozen in the arctic lake While the cops are snoring in the frost-hung parlor And the shotgun hidden under crumpled pillows. Get out of town, cross the winter mountain. There are arteries hardening. The mob yells murder, But be stayed no one, yourself no traitor -- They will not be saved, themselves not try to. Get out of town while the going is good. Say the hard word. Kiss the girls goodby. Let the boys wait forever in the gloomy barrens A thousand miles from water and as far from wood. Used with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368-0271, www.cc.press.org | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF: 2. HERMAN THE BASTARD by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR AN AMERICAN SCENE by NORMAN DUBIE FOR ME AT SUNDAY SERMONS, THE SERPENT by LYNN EMANUEL POSSUM SONG (A WARNING) by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON SUPPRESSING THE EVIDENCE by CAROLYN KIZER ODE FOR THE AMERICAN DEAD IN ASIA by THOMAS MCGRATH |
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