28.8.08

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Charles Wright

Still Life on a Matchbox Lid


The heart is colder than the eye is.
The watcher, the holy ones,
                                      know this, no shortcut to the sky.
A single dog hair can split the wind.

If you want great tranquility,
                                     it’s hard work and a long walk.
Don’t brood on the past.
The word is without appendages,
                                         no message, no name.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, Sam, thanks for this from my favorite poet. It's stunning, as usual.

sam of the ten thousand things said...

I appreciate the visit, Susan.

LKD said...

Thank you for posting this poem, Sam.

I always forget how much I love Wright's work until I stumble upon it again.

Reading this poem sent me off to read "Upon Reading Tu Fu, I go Outside to the Dwarf Orchard" earlier (after reading it, I felt....fed), and now, I'll be pulling Wright off the shelf to read before I go to bed.

Merci, ami.

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Wright's work tends to sneak up on the reader, Laurel. Thanks for reading.

esk said...

I am enjoying your blog.

Many of these poems leave me scratching my head, intently trying to interpret the meanings.

Thanks for introducing me to such great poets!

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Charles Wright is a must read. Thanks for the read, Erika.

SarahJane said...

Hi Sam,
Which volume is this from?

sam of the ten thousand things said...

It's from Chickamauga. You can also find it in Negative Blue. Thanks for reading, Sarah.