a few poems...

"Song (4)" by Wendell Berry
for Guy Davenport

Within the circles of our lives
we dance the circles of the years,
the circles of the seasons
within the circles of the years,
the cycles of the moon
within the circles of the seasons,
the cycles of our reasons
within the cycles of the moon.

Again, again we come and go,
changed, changing. Hands
join, unjoin in love and fear,
grief and joy. The circles turn,
each giving into each, into all,
Only music keeps us here,

each by all the others held.
In the hold of hands and eyes
we turn in pairs, that joining
joining each to all again.

and then we turn aside, alone,
out of the sunlight gone

into the darker circles of return.


"Let Us Go Laughing" by Bruce Cockburn

My canoe lies on the water
evening holds the bones of day
the sun like gold dust slips away

One by one antique stars
herald the arrival of
their pale protectress moon

Ragged branches vibrate
strummed by winds from over the hill
singing tales of ancient days

Far and silent lightning
stirs the cauldron of the sky
i turn my bow toward the shore