THIS FALSE DESIRE
This false desire for life as I enjoy the sight of
leaves turning, brown, red, orange against the clear blue sky.
The leaves wave in the wind to urge me on to falsehood,
to make myself a chanter of life, a bard who calls to
others
to
live for
th~
glory in living. I'm tempted
but I refuse, I think death has its pleasures too as I
surmise from the dead who lie very still to make the most
of it, strictly attentive to each syllable and motion of
their death as
it
attends on them stretched out like
children again, under the hypnosis of their mother's
crooning voice. Looking forward to that time, what have I
to be unhappy about, with so much peace and love in wait
forme.
*
SHUTTING OUT THE CRIES
Shutting out the cries of the dying and hungry, the
imprisoned and the tortured , beginning life allover again
in innocence under the sun in sweat and energy for myself
as a person,
to
celebrate myself once again and for always,
now that I know the worst about myself who must die
in any case, I am on the handball court, shouting and
playing my way through the miseries of others, making
myself a token of the beautiful life.
Others of my mind join me in putting their best energies
into the game, shutting out what we know only too well.
1973
