from After the Earthquake

WOMEN AND MEN I HAVE LOVED BEFORE I LOVED YOU AND WHY I LOVED THEM

I loved Virginia because she was tan and had muscles and

could run fast and played with the boys

and Patty because she wore a red dress with white lace and her hair was black

and curled and the little boys tried to kiss her

and Paul because he lived up the street from me for 10 years

and Neil because he lived down the street from me for 10 years

and Robert  because he took pictures of drab and homely things

and Leslie because she smelled like apricots and loved cowboy boots

and Edward because where he touched me, he left stars instead of bruises,

            and put music where there was pain.

I loved Ted because he danced so slowly with me, I got sleepy

and I loved some poet because he was famous

and another poet because he was famous too.

I loved my Uncle Al because he looked like Clark Gable and had to

            have his shoes specially made—his feet were that narrow

and Sharon Stone and her gal “Roxy” from BASIC INSTINCT 

because they were hard and sexual and didn’t care what anyone thought

I loved Grace and wanted her for her sweet southern speech and knowing eyes.

and I loved a song writer because his hair was soft as black silk

            and he kissed me as if each kiss would be his last.

I loved Chrissy Hine because I wanted to be her

and my cousin Terry because he was the only guy under the age of 45 on

            my vacation to visit family in Ohio.

I loved Dorrie because she loved me

and Kelson because I was far away and no one would know

            except Barbara whom I also loved.

I loved them all in the only way I knew:  with my eyes and mouth

            and the terrible truth of my imperfect body.

Later, when I had my fill of them,

I slept and was led in a dream to you.

"Many people say they don’t get poetry, but what they don’t get is that their own interior dialogue. Poetry is a natural way to make sense of things. Newberry’s work throws open a window on this truth. When you read her poems you understand that you yourself are a poet, that poetry is going on in your mind all the time."
Djelloul Marbrook, Winner of the Kent State Poetry Prize 2008

  “…a compelling story telling style reminiscent of Robert Frost, the enigmatic brilliance of Emily Dickinson and the working class insights of the great singer-poet John Prine…”
Saul Landau, internationally-known scholar, author, commentator, and filmmaker

"Whether playful or sad, boisterous or tender, Martina Newberry's poems always feel like affirmations--heartfelt, and hard-won."
Lawrence Raab author of What We Don’t Know About Each Other
Winner of the National Book Award