Alice N. Persons: dipping into the future

~ jama
“Skinny Dipping” by Stephanie Lambourne.
NEXT LIFE
by Alice N. Persons

I will be a lovely slim Asian woman
with a great metabolism
who tans
I will never get up at 5 AM to shovel snow
I will live in some place like Italy or France
where having all of August off is normal
and older women are still sexy
I will wear a bikini whenever possible
definitely pose for nude photos
and go skinny sipping, with and without friends,
in all seasons, day and night.
I will play at least one instrument
have a voice like k.d. lang
and never, ever wear pantyhose
have all-season good hair
I will not waste myself, body or spirit,
on any unworthy man
I'll win the lottery
build a huge animal shelter
always know how to end a poem

~ from Thank Your Lucky Stars: Collected Poems (Moon Pie Press, 2011).
“French Riviera” by Redina Tili (2018).

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“Crab Apples” by Stephanie Lambourne.

Love me some Alice N. Persons! Delightful, conversational and relatable, this list poem made me smile and nod in recognition. At some point, many of us have dreamed of living abroad in some romantic locale, of having all-season good hair, or even being daring enough to pose in the nude. 🙂

As we read of her yearning for musical talent, we land on these impactful lines:

I will not waste myself, body or spirit,
on any unworthy man.

Alrighty, then. There’s the hurt, the heartbreak from past experience, perhaps reason for her defiant spirit earlier in the poem. We can relate to that too.

I love how she ends with three positive things: the lottery, an animal shelter, poetic acumen. 🙂

Of course Alice got me thinking of what I might want in my next life.

Barbara Cooney (Miss Rumphius, 1982).

For starters:

I will be a lovely slim female singer-songwriter who can play at least five instruments.

I will not get up at any hour to shovel snow.

I will live in nostalgic England, where I can immerse myself in village life.

I will not pose in the nude or go skinny-dipping in the interest of preventing blindness in others. 😀

I will channel Miss Rumphius on a daily basis.

I will not waste myself, body or spirit, on any housework.

I will inspire others to embrace poetry instead of politics.

I’ll win the friendship lottery, spend my billions on promoting the arts, and know how to do just one thing really really well.

How about you? 😏 😜 🤤

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🎉 BOOK GIVEAWAY WINNER 🎈

Thanks to everyone for commenting on my interview with Lee Wardlaw last week about her new poetry collection, My Book of Firsts. We are pleased to announce that the lucky person who has won a brand new copy of the book is:

*suspenseful inhalation*

😯

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**drum roll, please**

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🌺 GINGER PARK!!! 🐶

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Hooray, hooray! Congratulations, Ginger!!! We know you’ll enjoy Lee’s sweet new book baby!! Thanks again to Red Comet Press for sponsoring this giveaway.

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Lovely and talented artist, writer and teacher Michelle Kogan is hosting the Roundup at her blog More Art 4 All. Zip on over to check out the full menu of poetic goodness being served up around the blogosphere this week. Have a fun and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend! Any plans to go skinny dipping? 😀

*Copyright © 2025 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

15 thoughts on “Alice N. Persons: dipping into the future”

  1. I will be exactly where I am with the best family and friends that anyone can hope for! However, I would gladly shovel snow if hot humid summer didn’t exist! As Jimmy Stewart said, “It’s been a wonderful life.” Have a great weekend everyone!😊

    Liked by 1 person

  6. I’m on board with ALL of this — and must read more Persons — but,

    dear Jama, you are good at WAY more than one thing! And we are

    all so glad that you are! xo

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Persons gives us food for thought, for sure. I don’t really want to be somebody else, but I would like to be me with enough money to be a patron of the arts!

    Unfortunately, politics affects everyday life too much to be separate from poetry. I love Barbara Cooney’s Miss Rumphius and would like to visit there! xo

    Liked by 1 person

  9. In my next life, I won’t worry so much about what others think. I won’t wait until retirement to make time for creative ventures and impulsive travel. Next time, I’ll say no to a house whose windows mostly only have views of the neighbors’ fences.

    It’s fun to think of and impossible next time, while in the for-real moment I am grateful for every last bit of this quirky life I’ve been given and have made!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Ooh, what a fun, fabulous poem, hiding jewels inside its carefree exterior. I don’t know Alice N. Persons, but I love this poem. Will have to seek out more of her work. Thanks, Jama. Also, I’m overwhelmed with a million possibilities when I try to answer your question. Will have to think on it.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Oh, what a fabulous poem! I want every verse, every word, every dream! If I won the lottery, I would build a Rainbow Bridge on earth for all the animals who need love, shelter, and healing.

    And I couldn’t help but see my name grace this beautiful post. Aw… so much love here! Thank you, Jama Darling! xo

    Liked by 1 person

  15. What a great poem prompt! I am living a pretty good life, so it’s hard for me to want to rewrite it. I will think differently in August which is always the worst month. I love your take on housework and poetry! Poetry is Life!

    Like

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