Round 55

Yusef: "The Disappearances" by Vijay Seshadri

Bob: "Fretwork" by Carl Phillips

There is a long-line style and a short-line style:

Every creature, intelligent or not, has disappeared--
the humans, phosphorescent,
the duplicating pets, the guppies and spaniels,
the Woolworth's turtle that cost forty-nine cents ... (Seshadri)


Little hammer, chasing--onto
unmarked metal--pattern,
decoration,

a name,

a scar upon the face
of history, what

has no face (Phillips)

I prefer the second style, it is leaner and quicker to the punch. Seshadri's poem, in its attempt to make the grand historical statement, seems overserious to me. Phillips' historical meditation is more subtle. Another win for Bob.

After 55:

16-29-9