Poem Of The Day: Mykonos Mirage

Art is everywhere. This series reveals cultural inspiration from country to country, written down one poem at a time. From churches in Spain to cobblestone paths in Italy, here is the perspective of a poet on the go, observing everything from drips of paint on the sidewalk to ancient monuments scraping the sky. Perhaps we are all more alike than different . . .

Mykonos
PHOTO JETSET TIMES
Calamari fingers digging
            corkscrewed ocean, mussels
like purple cracked unibrows, directionless, worming
                        rum showers rumbling
            gyro stomachs spidering
evil eye winking wise in the deaf ears of forgotten orange doorstep cats
                        yo-yoing indoor nautical lights
bar static ferociously meowing
            CDs crackling one at a time, one song after another exploding
like lemon-mouth smiles
                        how we buoy like cherries not on top but on the surface


how looking out at this ocean, tidal feet forward
never rips like a river ahead
never struts like a stream gushing backward
because blinking eyes can never jump on the thread of a Greek sea necklace
of pearls untied, rock guts leaking
                                    rope combing the hair of undertow
                        toeing numb feet under ancient ground
anchors as swords
spearing pupils unknown
            a seaweed salted scarf
around the neck of wind
sailing

Amanda Dettmann

Contributor

Amanda is an avid traveler who calls Maine her home, but her favorite places include Amsterdam's Christmas markets and Shakespeare's Globe in London. She is passionate about poetry, theatre, and teaching writing to kids and adults with disabilities. She thinks the best part of traveling is hearing strangers' incredible stories. Her ultimate mission? To find the tastiest cappuccino in the world.

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