What are the title and author of this awesome, sexy prose poem.

February 2, 2013 7:01 PM

In college, I read a really fabulously sexy, funny prose poem, that I think may have been called "This Condition". The first line may have even started "In this condition..." It was basically a collection of allusions and metaphors to sexual arousal that sort of built to a rhythmic climax at the end. I recall a reference to the shape of Florida. Oh, poetry lovers of AskMe, can you help me hunt this poem down? I'm desperate to read it again.
posted by mostlymartha to writing & language (4 answers total)

In this Condition by Lydia Davis
posted by atlantica at 9:33 PM on February 2 [3 favorites]

Ahh! beat me to it by 5 seconds!

also, it's been set for vocal trio by David Lang -- it's pretty great in that form as well.
posted by daisystomper at 9:34 PM on February 2

Aaaaaand we have a winner! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU atlantica!
posted by mostlymartha at 9:41 PM on February 2

When this poem was assigned, I volunteered to read it aloud in the next class. The pretty writer boy I had a desperate crush on said he hadn't realized quite what it was about until he heard my interpretation. I read it aloud again just now, and it still sounds and feels just the same.
posted by mostlymartha at 9:49 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]