Thursday Short Poem: Olds’ Topography

Time for another famous one, by my favorite poet of the body, Sharon Olds.

Topography

After we flew across the country we
got in bed, laid our bodies
delicately together, like maps laid
face to face, East to West, my
San Francisco against your New York, your
Fire Island against my Sonoma, my
New Orleans deep in your Texas, your Idaho
bright on my Great Lakes, my Kansas
burning against your Kansas your Kansas
burning against my Kansas, your Eastern
Standard Time pressing into my
Pacific Time, my Mountain Time
beating against your Central Time, your
sun rising swiftly from the right my
sun rising swiftly from the left your
moon rising slowly form the left my
moon rising slowly form the right until
all four bodies of the sky
burn above us, sealing us together,
all our cities twin cities,
all our states united, one
nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

3 Responses to “Thursday Short Poem: Olds’ Topography”


  1. 1 Mermade

    Love the ending. And thank you for introducing me to Sharon Olds.

  2. 2 Christina

    I love it! I enjoy erotic poetry, but it is difficult to find erotic poetry that doesn’t offend my (feminist) sensabilities.

  3. 3 Angiportus

    Another good one.

Comments are currently closed.