Prairie Sky
Skies of amber, world of glass
the buckled, bleached bones
of the soft sea bed
roll away, pass away
fickle wind
Sunset satin draped, colors unbound
too many shades to call a name
horizon gone
sail away, shadow’s dawn
scented wind
The sky is a landscape
with furrows and frowns
the dappled shadows cast, shadows gained
soft as down, falling down
weary sky
and the on of this and the dawn of this
and the call of this, the open disk
of glass, concave and looking inward
leave it to the fall of this and fragile
fall and break of breaking day
new night
Fence of metal, black and burned
the stone casts a shadow on the dull white brown
and carved in clay
the gravestone seems to say
am I?
the buckled, bleached bones
of the soft sea bed
roll away, pass away
fickle wind
Sunset satin draped, colors unbound
too many shades to call a name
horizon gone
sail away, shadow’s dawn
scented wind
The sky is a landscape
with furrows and frowns
the dappled shadows cast, shadows gained
soft as down, falling down
weary sky
and the on of this and the dawn of this
and the call of this, the open disk
of glass, concave and looking inward
leave it to the fall of this and fragile
fall and break of breaking day
new night
Fence of metal, black and burned
the stone casts a shadow on the dull white brown
and carved in clay
the gravestone seems to say
am I?
posted by read | 8:12 PM
3 Comments:
Wow, Read, I love this poem...its his is its sense. Particularly love it when it begins to let go and follows the sound, rhyme, alone:
and the on of this and the dawn of this/and the call of this
Sounds like the open call of the open landscape (sky).
Have you read your recent purchase of Ommateum? How was Montana?
Sorry for the typo. The previous comment should read: Its sound is its sense.
Break was good, thanks. Plenty of time with Niko and Sue--we enjoyed our night at the cabin (it felt like we were deep in the mountains). Bear Creek runs swift. I've really been enjoying the sprouting going on in the beds and on the bushes and trees. Had a pretty nasty virus that kicked me (and continues to)in the teeth. I am real happy that you're enjoying Ammons--I find his voice and his thinking so real. I'm a huge fan of his longer poems, of which Tape is the first. Let me know when you're done, I'd be delighted to lend you copies of the others. Oh yes, I have received a wonderful award for my teaching via an ex-student of mine's university--I'll tell you about it when we meet next. When shall that be?
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