Poetry Journal #6 - Untitled

death is easy like taking a bath
with an electric fan and waving hello to god
you could die like walking in front of a bus
or jumping into the big blue air
or into the lake
or doing almost anything
you could die by living in minnesota
and forgetting your scarf
or remembering your scarf
and it catches on the axle and strangles you
god is love but
he doesn't necessarily drop
everything and go save you
does he



-Garrison Keillor


This poem sounds to me like the poet is simply musing, and is not speaking to a specific audience or recipient. Though he does use the phrase "you" it seems to be simply an objective noun rather than a "you" directed at a specific person.

This clearly is a humorous poem, and instantly evokes curiosity on where the poet is going with the opening line "death is easy like taking a bath." Firstly, none of us really feel that death is easy, as we spend our lives trying desperately to avoid it, so that portion of the sentence, in and of itself is attention-grabbing. Secondly, the part "like taking a bath" leads our curiosity to the second like "with an electric fan and waving hello to God."

Having no punctuation in this poem is interesting, because it forces the reader to insert pauses or breaks where they feel is appropriate. I feel that my favorite line is "God is love but" and I choose to insert a sizeable pause after "but" because this poem feels so much like a comedic musing, it seems very humorous to question the statement "God is love" as few of those who believe in God would believe anything different. So placing that pause seems to fit with the emotion behind the poem.

This poem reminds me of the joke of the man who's city was flooding and he sat on his roof waiting for "god to save him" as a boat, raft, and helicopter all stopped and offered assistance and he refused them all saying "god will save me." Then he drowns and asks God why he didn't save him, and God replies "I sent a raft, a boat, and a helicopter, what more do you want?"