sandalwood poem #18
I am drained
like a shadow like
sunlight dancing on a
sacred river
cracked bones and dust
the earth floods now
and is sweetened
old sprinkler man
comes home returned from some
thought brooding cavern
released from some bandit hour
a fall of dew
a fragrance of rosemary
mysterious flowers
scattered on a green gray sea
he had these in memory
and they sustained him
oh love what have we seen
a stone skipped on a pond
and what is it we have learned
there are hours the heart hides
we do not need to
account for
© John Knoepfle 1978, 2004
This article appears in Sep 9-15, 2004.
