Two Poems
by
Richard Thomas
IN THE MOMENT
The keeping down of fever
the coming forward of water
the correction of images
the turning in and
the turning out
from here
LO where
there are days and days
and landscapes fired in the brain
and things taken and things gi ven
LOO soon or too late too few or too many
twice three-times fourth and fifth
and fever always under always near
proximity of the edge
indignity of the end
phantoms in the race all phantoms
bodies notwithstanding
eyes notwithstanding
hearts notwithstanding
hands notwithstanding hold them
hold them
close keep down
this fever
A SMALL HAND
A small hand appeared, warm and sudden
with the texture of life, a witness
to loneliness who LOok hold,
and led out of the old, sullen
circle into th e house of th e hea rt 's fitn ess.
So tiny and so bold.
