Saturday, October 9, 2010

MASH note


I unabashedly love MASH. (Specifically the TV version, seasons 1 through 3.)

Watching reruns was an important 10pm family tradition and it was a huge milestone when I, youngest child, was FINALLY old enough to stay up and join everyone else on the chesterfield, instead of just listening to the laughter wafting up the stairs.

It's funny, but it has only lately occurred to me that I can write poems about whatever I like. So, during this year's May Day, I worked on a series about MASH. It started with a letter to Hawkeye, whom I still crush on, and grew into a cluster of notes to the characters, reflecting on the role they played in my life, updating them on what I'm up to, and asking all of the questions I've been curious about. I read a couple of them at an open mic at the Nightengale Lounge when we were in NYC earlier this year.

It was probably the most fun I've had writing. And, this week, The Antigonish Review offered a home for four of them.

It'll be my first time in TAR and I'm so excited for, and proud of, my little poems. But, I'm slightly heartbroken over Henry and Trapper, who didn't make the cut. Oh, how under-appreciated they have always been.

MASH reruns have been off the air (at least for us non-cable subscribers) for almost 20 years, but tune in to TAR to see Hawkeye, Hotlips, Frank and Radar in print.

2 comments:

  1. Kerry! This sounds like my own childhood 10 pm tradition! Loved the post. And I would love to read the poems sometime!

    - Glynis Corkal

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