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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

THE BALL

It can be small and hard,
spherical or oblong.
It might be air-filled.
You may carry it or toss it
or bounce it or kick it
or hit it with a hand-held tool.
Regardless, you must exert
great effort to move it
in a particular direction
while your opponent may strive
with equal expense of energy
to reverse its movement or
at least to arrest its motion.

When you are young, you may
find yourself caring passionately
about its location at certain times,
whether you are actively engaged
in moving it or merely watching
others attempting to do so.

When you get older, it won't
seem quite so important.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

HOUSEMATE

The house is quiet this early.
A mouse steps out behind the bookcase,
looks up at me, then slips
around the corner. He has things to do
and must do them.
That much, at least, we have in common.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

MISCALCULATION

There was that day she and I
walked in the woods on Mt. Tabor
and came to the place where
the path divided. She or I
(I forget who) began to chant
the Frost lines and the other
joined in which led to
lively, funny debate on
whether he was being serious
or just playful about
that-has-made-all-the-difference.

It was at that moment, I think,
I believed we would always
be together, taking walks
and laughing, or maybe it was
the day we went swimming.

That kind of thing happens
when you are young.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

INFORMATION AGE

The book says there are several
possible purposes for communication,
"to inform" being the primary purpose.
Art is different. Its purpose is
to uncover
to discover
to explore
what is unknown and perhaps unknowable.

Take poetry for instance
and, come to think of it, take preaching.
When I listen to a sermon
I don't want to be informed.
I want to be changed.
That can't happen unless
it has happened to the preacher.
I can tell.