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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Poem says much in few words

Ted Kooser U.S. Poet Laureate

Editor’s note: To increase the public’s understanding of and appreciation for poetry, U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser has started this weekly newspaper column. Each week, Kooser will offer a poem by a contemporary American poet along with a brief introduction. Starting today his column will appear in Sunday’s IN Life section.

A poem need not go on at great length to accomplish the work of conveying something meaningful to its readers. In the following poem by the late Marnie Walsh, just a few words – written as if they’d been recorded in exactly the manner in which they’d been spoken – tell us not only about the missing woman in the red high heels, but a little something about the speaker as well.

Bessie Dreaming Bear

Rosebud, So. Dak., 1960

we all went to town one day

went to a store

bought you new shoes

red high heels

ain’t seen you since.