Wednesday, May 8, 2019

SOME TOM RAWORTH ~







NOT A STEP DO I STIR UNTIL THAT CAT'S
BACK TO ITS COLOUR




civilization was pushing around aging molecules saying

"lovely . . . a new patch of lung" and  "aching  doesn't thank"

when a sunbeam hit my son, throwing his tiny full colour reflection

onto the centre of the flickering black and white screen









CAP




pattern outside my head

speak to me

signaller of the word-commune



i was not aware

one lonely word outside

could call itself 'snap'





.






every question you ask presupposes

an alternative universe










FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE PAST




tree lets me hear the wind

over there where it is

i won't believe this is all there is

(the interest on eternity)



'it is' squeaks my voice





.






you have to learn

you can not teach







.







i can not prove a second ago

to my own satisfaction





.






speak my language

dog






.







a turtle

a fine line

a turtle






.




if they do

what you think

it's as boring

as you thought






.







i put it

there

and it's still

there





.





moon breathe




.




slowly

through the

snow they

go






.






slavery

what

we

have

words

for







.







remember

no time

when i wasn't










SLEEP, PERCH




each clearing of the brain

needs nothing to be clear again



i don't want to listen to the same

i don't get it better twice



starve the nation

out of stagnation



wandering the earth

a civil war ahead of the traffic







______________________

Tom Raworth
Tottering State
selected and new poems 1963-1983
The Figures, 1984