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Monday 29 June 2009

Days


.

File:StrawberryCreek1.JPG




1

The world is still and quiet through fog.
A spring day begins.
In my hut, there is everything.
Outside, a three-foot garden.
A creek trickles past
under concrete.



2

A hand ball
wet with spring rain
makes a wet
bounce mark
on the wall.



3

I have heard the call
of the spring wind.
Sparrows are chirping
in the light evening rain.
Hearts full of fears,
they fly up and down.

Sneezing, why do
I lose sight of them?




File:American Tree Sparrow.jpg




4

It’s the long morning
of spring,
whittled down
by the spring rain.



5

A spring night.
Lighting the candle.
I went out and swept the garden.
The cats kept on sleeping.
A mad woman was out there
in the street,
screaming things
in the spring night.



6

As we grow old
even the length of the day
may make us wet-eyed.
Deep grief
for the nature of things.
We walk single file
along the railroad track
in the wildflower field,
by the sandy beach,
in the short spring night.





File:DwSixspecies.jpg






Strawberry Creek by Gilman Hall, facing East: photo by Coro, 2009
American tree sparrow (Spizella arborea): photo by dominic sherony, 2009
Wildflowers: Alberta wild rose, Western yarrow, Bluebells, Heart-leaved arnica, Red paintbrush: photo by Dwindrim, 2004

9 comments:

poetowen said...

Thank you for this--made my morning.

O

Billy said...

And mine

Mariana Soffer said...

Very beautiful text tom.
I wonder why are they so afraid, they are so so afraid they seem they are going to die, and indeed I think they do when they are too young. That is pretty sad. But your poem started haply appreciating nature and its facts, I like reading that paragraphs that transported me to a happy place in an unknown land.

TC/BTP said...

Owen, Billy,

Thank you, morning people. Always good to be reminded the sun is not the only thing that rises.



Mariana,

Yes, I know what you mean about these lines:

Sparrows are chirping
in the light evening rain.
Hearts full of fears,
they fly up and down.

I'm afraid I cheated a bit and imported my own fears into the hearts of the innocent sparrows. Poetry is supposed to allow one to get away with that sort of thing. No wonder so many people distrust it!

Mariana Soffer said...

My friend that is not cheating, consider it playing, and feel free to express yourself, there is not such thing as something that comes from nothing and take an art form

TC/BTP said...

Thank you Mariana, I can play along to that tune as long as I have a friend like you to sing it to me.

melissa@orbisoftware.com said...

lovely Tom-

and I continue to walk behind you/single file/through this trickle of days

TC/BTP said...

Melissa--

and I couldn't wish for better company.

Dale said...

Tom--the surface of the language is so simple--so quiet. The pace moves with sparrow-like calm. Thanks for this.