spring M - Department of English - University of Minnesota

Ericson, “Love Test,” continued from page 17shimmering shawls--as well as three judges and “Prairie HomeCompanion” pianist Rick Dworsky on stage.After reviewing some 300 poems submitted by 87 contestants, Keillorselected 17 finalists. Each of the 15 finalists in attendance read theirwork, often followed by a piano flourish reminiscent of Keillor’s show.Songs and poems ran the gamut from a bowl of cereal compared to thebeloved, to an erotic poem about long distance love and the burying ofa lover’s shirt in bed like a bone, to a song about mangoes (see below)favored by a judge from Miami, to a parody of the tune “Matchmaker”about finding love online. There were also tender love songs accompaniedby piano, guitar, and a three-piece girl band.The difficult task of selecting the winners followed, and the tone grewmore serious. Along with Keillor, the judges—Vern Sutton, professoremeritus of the School of Music; poet and English professor MichaelDennis Browne; and Jennine Crucet, an MFA student in the CreativeWriting Program—discussed their favorites and why. After much publicdeliberation, they awarded two $750 first prizes to Jenny Blaine and MayMahala (see poems below); two $500 second prizes to Margit Bermanand Brian Hayden; and five $200 third prizes to Brian Johnson, JenJohnson, Melissa Kalpin Prescott, Kelly Jean Settholm, and JoshuaVerges.Keillor ended the feel-good evening by asking everyone to sing “YouAre My Sunshine” as a recessional for the poets as they left the stage andheaded out into the post-storm night air.Love BoatAdrift? Our ship, a most beleaguered bark,Once cut from port to port before the wave.Ambitions drove a cold confusing arc,We look and sigh and say, “What’s left to save?”“All hands on deck!” we cry, and selflessRush to work the pumps. An albatross could flyOr herring gull take wing, all weight and thoughtlessPinion safe upon the hands of sky.But we (such silly things), we try to formOur destinies on formless fantasiesAnd call it love. When what we want is warm,As elemental as the evening breeze.So long as hand with hand and leg with leg entwineOur ship will safely sail though we be blind.—Jenny BlaineRoom 208His lipsjuicy mangoopened lusciousHe had thatcasual grace,slipping his armround her waistShe seemed tofall into him.Lying beside himfallenshe stared up atpinhole starsLaughing hismystic namethenno yes noshe walked homechecked the babysat up aloneSecretlythinkinghis handsher waisthis headsoft thistle.—May Mahalaa green light at the end of the dockENGLISH AT MINNESOTA30