Uncoded Woman Poems

by Oomen, Anne-Marie

• ISBN13: 9781571314253
• ISBN10: 1571314253
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-11-29
• Publisher: Milkweed Editions

Summary

Coding and decoding are the themes of Anne-Marie Oomen's collection of poems, which together tell the story of a woman named Bead and her search for a safe harbor. The maritime International Code of Signals becomes a symbolic guide to Bead's journey, lending weightier meaning to boating phrases such as "You should proceed with caution" and "I am continuing to search." The beautiful terrain near Lake Michigan forms a powerful backdrop to the exploration of the life of a woman and her Native American lover, whose poverty and desperation are in stark contrast to the wealthy resort community around them. As an essayist and playwright, Oomen is known for her ability to convey the inner landscape of a woman's mind; this is her first book of poetry.

Table of Contents

KS I
I Have Taken the Line	3	(2)
OO
My Radio Direction Finder Is Inoperative	5	(1)
NE
You Should Proceed with Great Caution	6	(1)
LN1
I All Lights Are Out along This Coast	7	(2)
QD
I Am Going Ahead	9	(2)
KK
Towing Is Impossible under Present Weather Conditions	11	(1)
GH
I Have Sighted Survival Craf	12	(1)
FZ1
I Am Continuing to Search	13	(2)
Alpha
The First Letter, Sometimes Used as Greeting	15	(2)
B
Am Discharging Dangerous Goods	17	(1)
HM1
Survivors Are in Bad Condition	18	(2)
HM2
Survivors Are in Good Condition	20	(2)
PG
I Do Not See Any Light	22	(1)
CX6
Boats Cannot Be Used to Reach You	23	(1)
BL
I Am Having Engine Trouble but Am Continuing	24	(1)
K
I Wish to Communicate with You	25	(1)
UT
Where Are You Bound For?	26	(2)
PR1
I You Should Come as Near as Possible	28	(2)
JB
There Is Danger of Explosion	30	(1)
GZ1
All Persons Lost	31	(2)
XR
Weather Is Good	33	(1)
JO
I Am Afloat	34	(2)
FO
I Will Keep Close to You	36	(2)
OX
I Request Permission to Anchor	38	(1)
H
I Have a Pilot on Board	39	(3)
HY4
What Is the Name of the Vessel with Which You Collided?	42	(2)
RE
You Should Change Your Berth	44	(1)
CY2
Raft Has Reached the Shore	45	(1)
RI
There Is Good Holding Ground in My Area	46	(1)
GM
I Cannot Save My Vessel	47	(2)
LN
Light Has Been Extinguished	49	(1)
UC
Is a Pilot Available in This Place?	50	(1)
XI
Indicate Visibility	51	(1)
WU
There Are Indications of Intense Depression Forming...	52	(2)
D
Keep Clear of Me; I Am Maneuvering with Difficulty	54	(4)
PH2
I Am Steering towards You	58	(1)
ST
What Is Your Cargo?	59	(3)
EP
I Have Lost Sight of You	62	(2)
YZ
The Words which Follow Are in Plain Language	64	(1)
The Code of Signals	65