During April, National Poetry Month, the UChicago Press installed a poetry-dispensing machine in the lobby of its building on 60th Street. Each poem cost 50 cents, with proceeds benefiting the Working in the Schools tutoring program in Chicago Public Schools. Here is one of the poems that was for sale.—Carrie Golus, AB’91, AM’93

 

THE FALL

The fall was not the bite of the apple, juicy, firm, and crisp.
The fall was woman reaching out her hand, extending
The fall was man seeing and receiving, fingers touching
the briefest brush against the skin, that casual contact
the tiny hair which stood up, the full awareness, realization:
"This is how I want to live."