Christine Krikliwy Poetry Center coordinator

Poetry Center not moving soon enough for coordinator, jams about building's creaky floors

Wildcat: You're the program coordinator for the Poetry Center. You guys are going to be moving soon?

Krikliwy: Yep. Not soon enough, though.

Wildcat: Is the new place going to have creaky, wooden floors like this?

Krikliwy: You know what? I walked through the new place, but I don't remember what the floors were like, 'cause I was basically looking at the walls to see how many books we could put up. So I wasn't looking down.

Wildcat: The floors are awesome, the creaky floors.

Krikliwy: I don't think there are creaky floors because the new building is the Disability Resource Center, and they have wheelchairs coming and going. So I'm not sure. · That's funny. I never looked at the floors. I was more involved with the walls.

Wildcat: Well, what did the walls look like then? Are there more than four walls?

Krikliwy: No, I think there are four. Yeah.

Wildcat: So this is what I'm going to do. For the rest of this, let's try to make up a short poem. You say one line and I'll say the next. Cool?

Krikliwy: OK.

Wildcat: We'll make it about creaky floors since that's what we're talking about. Or walls. Which ever you prefer. Ready? Go.

Krikliwy: Me?

Wildcat: Yes.

Krikliwy: "Not moving ·

Wildcat: · As still as an ocean ·

Krikliwy: · As noisy as a creaky board ·

Wildcat: · Death tastes like vanilla wafers.

Krikliwy: From where?

Wildcat: Frank Montesonti ·

Krikliwy: · Life is like a breath of fresh air.

Wildcat: · You breathe it fresh, then it toxic turns and dies in me ·

Krikliwy: · You excrete it and maybe the toxins don't remain ·

Wildcat: · But the floors and walls scream inside me, although they're white and plain ·

Krikliwy: · Death screams out: "Don't contain them."

Wildcat: · Swallow them with pride ·

Krikliwy: · Yell out loud ·

Wildcat: · and sing it to an anthem."