The Gettysburg Undress: Poems from Gettysburg, PA, Washington, DC, Richmond, VA, Baltimore, MD., and environs
“Rick Lupert’s The Gettysburg Undress is a delightful romp through the museums and tourist attractions of the mid-Atlantic States. I found it more believable than Steinbeck’s Travels with Charlie. His wife, Addie, is a more interesting personality by far than a poodle. His observations are written in a minimalist style which is a cross between Basho and Brautigan. Each poem is a tiny masterpiece. Some poems, like “Animal Hospital,” strike a ghostly chord. His humor is inclusive, making the reader part of the mission – to bring the fun back to poetry by entertaining the heck out of you, plus making you think about the world.”
~ Hal Sirowitz, former Poet Laureate of Queens, New York, Author “Mother Said”
I’m very excited to have joined the Rothco Press family with the very first title in their Caffeine Poetry Series, and my sixteenth collection of poetry, written on location while traveling through the sites, museums and restaurants of the cradle of the Civil War.
Poetry from The Gettysburg Undress
Early Morning Flight
I’d like
to begin
with a nap.
My eyes
have no business
being open.
Even the
o’clock family are
still in their beds.
On the plane
a boy is touching
my arm.
I
know this
boy.
Oh, the Things That Exist
The SkyMall catalog
has an item called
The Pants Saver.
It is far too late
for my pants.
On the Way to Easton
We pass by the Christian training center.
We pass by the Rock restaurant.
We pass by the Charter School for the Arts.
We pass by Bottom Dollar Food.
We pass by the Candy Factory.
We pass by Walters Foreign Car Service.
We pass by a billboard that says something.
We pass by the Dairy Queen.
We pass by Vic’s Bagels.
We stop at a stop light.
We continue when it turns green.
There is the Family Medical Place.
There is the old barn turned condo.
There is the Keystone Pub.
Freedom High School.
The voice of John Lithgow
laughing like he knows
exactly what is happening.
There is something interesting
to say about all of this.
The Gettysburg Undress
It is so hot in
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
all we want to do is deliver
the Gettysburg Undress.
At Gettysburg Haiku
I
We see thousands of
unmarked graves.
Tell me what is civil about war?
II
And you could answer
What is civil about men
owning other men?
At Dinner, Steve Demanded a Poem
Congratulations Steve. You’ve made it!