Three Poems
by
Kenneth Koch
GETTING BACK ON LAND
The arms of those armchairs resemb le the legs
Of young women who have just come over
From the coast of America in a tramp steamer ;
They sing happily of the long days of their voyage
And they are glad to see the armchairs again, which remind
them of their legs .
MATTERS
At eight
0'
clock the torn apron was willing
To depart with her lover, the cleaning;
But at the stroke of nine exactly
He was already tired of her and had gone to the hearing
Of sunshine and beautiful ways .
PASSAGE
A boat comes by, captain smiling , lady on his arm
Tatooed there by Plush the Pirate; I wish I were here with you
Written on the paper beneath his pen. Boat goes by with a
frown .
