Summer 2005

Summer 2005

GIL ALLEN LUNCH AT THE PARK She could be at McDonald’s, grazing. Odd. But the unicyclist is praising God. Both arms straight up, surrendered to September, this blissful woman is amazing! God! A six-year-old squirts her with his Mac-10. The unicyclist still is praising God. She wobbles patterns in the parking lot, her Alphas and Omegas tracing God. No Manichean bicycle, no trike for her! Just One True Wheel, begracing God. With her free hands, she balances all praise, blessing three Clemson fans abasing God. They snicker, shout “Raise your hands if you’re Sure! Hey, honey! Who you think you’re racing? God?” Her Walkman isn’t tuned to their Big Game. No touchdowns fill her ears, dispraising God. In self-defense, she turns her volume up. She’s listening to a CD raising God. And here’s her extra point, that no one hears but me: I’ve turned my other cheeks - amazing God!   Gil Allen's work has recently appeared (or will soon appear) in THE AMERICAN SCHOLAR, THE CORTLAND REVIEW, THE GEORGIA REVIEW, THE PEDESTAL MAGAZINE, and SHENANDOAH. His 2003 collection of poems, DRIVING TO DISTRACTION, was featured on THE WRITER'S ALMANAC. During his 2004-05 sabbatical leave from Furman, he's been editing an anthology of contemporary South Carolina poets and putting together a new volume of his own work.

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