The English Language

I am in love with the English language
here, where I happen to be,
rounding a curve of road

in a neighborhood, in a small town.
The houses sit back from the curb,
stately nouns, and their fancy

adjectives of porches modify
with gingerbread and grille,
the sky blue ceilings, only imagined

from the road. The lawns roll out
like active verbs or lie flat
and square-cornered as bed sheets,

while their flowers adverb raucously
in and through and against the green.
Ready to connect all the parts

of the language, the avenues wait:
Because, However, But, and Since.
And still the prepositions! Inside

someone being read to, dreaming of—
the wonderful English language
channeled up, out, into thought.

Copyright © 2004 Sherry Olson All rights reserved
from Tar River Poetry
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission