Poetry
February: Thinking of Flowers Now wind torments the field, turning the white surface back on itself, back and back on itself, like an animal licking a wound. Nothing but white—the air, the light; only one …
Basking Shark To stub an oar on a rock where none should be, To have it rise with a slounge out of the sea Is a thing that happened once (too often) to me. But …
A Man’s a Man for A’ That Is there for honesty poverty That hings his head, an’ a’ that; The coward slave — we pass him by, We dare be poor for a’ that! For …
Home Town Elegy (For Aberdeen in Spring) Glitter of mica at the windy corners, Tar in the nostrils, under blue lamps budding Like bubbles of glass the blue buds of a tree, Night-shining shopfronts, or …
January jumps about January jumps about in the frying pan trying to heat his frozen feet like a Canadian. February scuttles under any dish’s lid and she thinks she’s dry because she’s thoroughly well hid …
The Death of the Old Year Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, And the winter winds are wearily sighing: Toll ye the church bell sad and slow, And tread softly and speak low, For the …
Christ’s Nativity Awake, glad heart! get up and sing! It is the birth-day of thy King. Awake! awake! The Sun doth shake Light from his locks, and all the way Breathing perfumes, doth spice the …
Fairbanks Under the Solstice Slowly, without sun, the day sinks toward the close of December. It is minus sixty degrees. Over the sleeping houses a dense fog rises—smoke from banked fires, and the snowy breath …
Living at the End of Time There is so much sweetness in children’s voices, And so much discontent at the end of day, And so much satisfaction when a train goes by. I don’t know …
December at Yase You said, that October, In the tall dry grass by the orchard When you chose to be free, “Again someday, maybe ten years.” After college I saw you One time. You were …
Thanksgiving Turkey Valleys lay in sunny vapor, And a radiance mild was shed From each tree that like a taper At a feast stood. Then we said, “Our feast, too, shall soon be spread, Of …
Laudate Dominum Lit stalks stitch patterns over moss-mute boughs, The patched procession of winter and early dawn. A dormant vine’s engrafted web soon glows, Emblazoned tongues along the runged oration. O distant fire, stirred to …
Poplars line far too long a short walk to the lake Train switching tracks never finishes... world spring run down Anubis, white-eyed in obsidian, glares — pinned to his wall Moon silver the samurai’s hilt …
Her Disappointment His hair is thin His stomach is fat His love is limp His neck is stiff His hands are clean But his mind is filthy His account is empty Her closets are full …
The Little Ghost I knew her for a little ghost That in my garden walked; The wall is high—higher than most— And the green gate was locked. And yet I did not think of that …
The 5:32 She said, If tomorrow my world were torn in two, Blacked out, dissolved, I think I would remember (As if transfixed in unsurrendering amber) This hour best of all the hours I knew: …