Submit a Poem
Get Your Premium Membership
spacer
Pinterest button


Photo of Russell Edson

Edson, Russell

One of the foremost writer of prose poetry in the United States.. American poet novelist writer and illustrator

Email Poem - The BridgeEmail Poem

The Bridge

 In his travels he comes to a bridge made entirely of bones. 
Before crossing he writes a letter to his mother: Dear mother, 
guess what? the ape accidentally bit off one of his hands while 
eating a banana. Just now I am at the foot of a bone bridge. I 
shall be crossing it shortly. I don't know if I shall find hills and 
valleys made of flesh on the other side, or simply constant 
night, villages of sleep. The ape is scolding me for not teaching 
him better. I am letting him wear my pith helmet for 
consolation. The bridge looks like one of those skeletal 
reconstructions of a huge dinosaur one sees in a museum. The 
ape is looking at the stump of his wrist and scolding me again. 
I offer him another banana and he gets very furious, as though 
I'd insulted him. Tomorrow we cross the bridge. I'll write to 
you from the other side if I can; if not, look for a sign . . .



Comments