poetry sunday

My son recently sent me this poem, with a note: Can you guess what this is about? I had to read it 3 or 4 times before I finally got it.

Josh was born in 1970, and he used to call butterflies "flutter-bys" and one day he told me it was sparkling outside -- his excellent version of sprinkling.


PEOPLE’S CHOICE
I see it sparkling where flutterbys land.
Spotlight dips through drops in a spider maze.
The funny ad finishes and daddy
calls it a metaphor but I don’t understand.
He must mean a map since that’s what a maze is
even a spider one. A maze like what
the TV shows, now with more blue shapes than red.
I think the game show is boring but mommy gets excited,
shouts “Hurray!” and bounces to the kitchen while
daddy tells me it’s not a game show but I don’t believe him
because mommy just called grandma and mentions
something about Carter. A contestant, I guess. Later
the game show’s still not over, and mommy tries explaining
its importance but settles on You’re falling over you’re so tired 
and I don’t notice my eyes close as I think of sparkling
where flutterbys land and wonder what’s a metaphor.


I haven't confirmed it with him, but I'm pretty sure the game show he's talking about is the 1976 election. I remember being completely elated at the outcome.

Doh!