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?

1046. Breaking Camp - David Wagoner

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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.