Wednesday, July 22, 2020

1047. Then And Now - James Laughlin

.
The Rain

is speaking it pelts
against the windows
and on the roof
in the night
it makes thousands
of little words
which confuse the child
who does not understand
such a language
what is the rain
trying to tell him
should he be afraid
is there a message
of danger to be escaped
or can he be lulled 
by the sound of the rain
and go back to sleep?

The Poem

is moving by itself
it proceeds of its
own accord
the writer of the poem
has no idea where
it will lead him
he cannot control it
because it has
its own life
separate from his own
what if it carries him off
from his safe life
from his accustomed loves
should he fear harm
from the poem and tear up
the page or simply put it
aside and go back to sleep?

Sunday, July 19, 2020

1046. Breaking Camp - David Wagoner

.
Having spent a hard-earned sleep, you must break camp in the mountains
At the break of day, pulling up stakes and packing,
Scattering your ashes,
And burying everything human you can’t carry. Lifting
Your world now on your shoulders, you should turn
To look back once
At a place as welcoming to a later dead-tired stranger
As it was to your eyes only the other evening,
As the place you’ve never seen
But must hope for now at the end of a day’s rough journey:
You must head for another campsite, maybe no nearer
Wherever you’re going
Than where you’ve already been, but deeply, starkly appealing
Like a lost home: with water, the wind lying down
On a stretch of level earth,
And the makings of a fire to flicker against the night
Which you, traveling light, can’t bring along
But must always search for.