Another one for Poetry Month

[mamculuna]

Charles Wright is a poet I met only when I had to teach his poems--the very best thing about the work I did for thirty years was that I learned about writers I'd never have known, otherwise. Oh, yeah, the students, that was pretty good, too. This makes me think of the Anglo-Saxon poets and Hopkins, in the alliteration and rhythm and word-choice--lots of his poems use that, but this one is especially strong.

Deep Measure
by Charles Wright

Shank of the afternoon, wan weight-light
Undercard of a short month, February Sunday
Wordlessness of the wrong world
In the day's dark niche, the patron saint of what-Goes-Down

Shuffles her golden deck and deals
on for you and one for me...
And that's it, a single number -- we play what we get
My hand says measure,
doves on the wire and the first bulb blades
Edging up through the mulch-mat,
Inside-out of the winter gum trees,
A cold harbor, cold stop and two-step, and here it comes,

Deep measure, deep measure that runnels beneath the bone,
That sways our attitude and sets our lives to muse;
Deep measure, down under and death drawn
Pilgrim, homeboy of false time,
Listen and set your foot down, listen and step lightly

Comments

[wombatina.livejournal.com]

I really like that. Really. Nice rhythm.