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Minnesota Poetry: Diane Pecoraro

Posted at 9:27 AM on April 5, 2010 by Marianne Combs (4 Comments)
Filed under: Minnesota Poets, Poetry

Diane Pecoraro, has always said that her goal is to craft short accessible poems. To that end, she writes both humorous light verse and poems which are more serious in tone. Themes such as urban life, human interaction, and immigrant issues interest her. She has a lifelong interest in art, so landscape is a subject which inspires many lines. For occasions, she likes to create playful songs and rhymes.

Pecoraro has been writing since she was a young teenager in New York. She has participated as a reader at numerous poetry events. Her work was included in an anthology (Charlotte's Table) nominated for a 2005 MN Book Award.

Recently, Pecoraro was named Community Poet of St. Louis Park. As part of her duties, she's participating in the city's "Our Town, Verses and Voices" project, which is bringing people of different backgrounds together in seven community workshops to write and share their favorite poetry. From those submitted, Pecoraro will select 12 poems for the city's 2011 calendar, and the community will create a renga, or collaborative poem. Find out more information about the St. Louis Park project here.

Chicago Morning Irony

The titans of trade,
Wanamaker and Ward,
Macy and Woolworth,
reign opposite The Merchandise Mart*
their sculpted busts perched on columns
in a row high above the Chicago River.

These men made money and retail history
brought goods across America and taught America
to consume those goods. They elevated peddling
from cart to multi-floor emporium,
elevated drawings of finery to catalog art.

On this day when the Dow drops 400 points
and the future of buy- and- sell is in limbo,
I sip coffee in a cafe opposite
imagining that such news might etch a few lines of worry
on the bronze foreheads of each of these nobles.

Reality intrudes on reverie.
A band of city pigeons lands
and does its collective pigeon business.
Droppings dribble down a bald pate,
rivulets flow over a sculpted cheek ,
white graffittis the elegant ear of a third.

No exemption for the wealthy:
Even the great are not immune in
an alien storm.

*The epicenter for high design and luxury goods, the Merchandise Mart is the world's largest commercial building, largest wholesale design center and one of Chicago's premier international business locations. The Mart spans two city blocks and rises 25 stories.

- "Chicago Morning Irony," by Diane Pecoraro. Printed here with permission from the author.

Comments (4)

Wow! Congratulations! You're becoming one of the titans of poetry...slowly and relentlessly writing your astute observations. "Community Poet of St. Louis Park" is only the beginning...

Posted by Anne Damon | April 9, 2010 8:11 PM

Diane's words dance off the page into one's heart and soul, creating a collage of feelings and images.Having such a poet in our midst is truly our fortune.

Posted by Louise Yim | April 10, 2010 11:57 AM

You go girl.

Posted by V V.ernelle | April 10, 2010 4:59 PM

We are so proud! It is about time the world has the opportunity to pour over Diane's magnificent written works of art.

Posted by Cat & Pat | April 10, 2010 9:30 PM