|
Red-Shafted Flickers, Yellow
Across fields and flames they call to each
other the pairs aware the forests fire
of color seasonal the birds call to
or through the bark covering the paths
of pilgrim insects those knotty paths
bored into cambium still leave room
for the beak prodding the plodding
upward of bird or down gripping rough
bark chipping the bird a form of fire
the coursing of sap and blood and air
circulate. Circle is the shape of thought
like time or fame the famous bird once
master of land and sea and air and
I listen in winter two have returned to each other.
for Sue and Thornton
*from And Away (Sequence)
...a blossoming, disclosure, bursting of flowers small, bright and varied on brief,
frail stems. Fragile voices.
(Francis Ponge, The Pré)
|
