iii
I would walk from this porch to your farthest
do I dare
Lights without you the house is ghosty
the pier is broken
its points are webbed
cricket and bird song about alas
until morning the great sea and ledge
from which pines such low soundings pines
that are green and sea that is swelling
sea whose earth is sandy who in sleep
changes as the pilot arm beckons
the arm we lie on shifts
early the stir
to crease from night close to begin
to gather to fall as Wave
Bountiful and Bare
Geography
cold
Moon track across the snow field
a saddle I ride its rope
into the light
the flank is soft
a fine departure the snow
bears my weight
to the mosses
the ripest blossoms fall
turn black in water
so dependency on sun is error
rather blue milk fields skimmed
and grass shod of twilight plain
than urn water swamp
on however
the swamp leaves at horse’s neck
a chatter of owl and bird fright
the rope loosens
the hand is moist with vine leech
a journey wince of cowhide
shriek and storm where weather
suddenly
warms
we reach the pole
of earth statues
heat
visibleness decreases
immaculate as a heron
without rust
I shine
the snow in the wound
becomes stucco
the magnificent sun
waves a flag above it
*Jaffa Juce is an orange drink high in vitamins, low in price, bottled and drunk in Britain.
The Blue Stairs
The Blue Stairs
There is no fear
in taking the first step
or the second
or the third
having a position
between several Popes
In fact the top
can be reached
without disaster
precocious
The code
consists in noticing
the particular shade
of the staircase
occasionally giving way
to the emotions
It has been chosen
discriminately
To graduate
the dimensions
ease them into sight
republic of space
Radiant deepness
a thumb
passed over it
disarming
as one who executes robbers
Waving the gnats
and the small giants
aside
balancing
How to surprise
a community
by excellence
somehow it occurred
living a public life
The original design
was completed
no one complained
In a few years
it was forgotten
floating
It was framed
like any other work of art
not too ignobly
kicking the ladder away
Now I shall tell you
why it is beautiful
Design: extraordinary
color: cobalt blue
secret platforms
Heels twist it
into shape
It has a fantastic area
made for a tread
that will ascend
Being humble
i.e. productive
Its purpose
is to take you upward
On an elevator
of human fingerprints
of the most delicate
fixity
Being practical
and knowing its denominator
To push
one foot ahead of the other
Being a composite
which sneers at marble
all orthodox movements
It has discovered
in the creak of a footstep
the humility of sound
Spatially selective
using this counterfeit
of height
To substantiate
a method of progress
Reading stairs
as interpolation
in the problem of gradualness
with a heavy and pure logic
The master builder
acknowledges this
As do the artists
in their dormer rooms
eternal banishment
Who are usually grateful
to