Ideas
I was the lonely one in whom
they swarmed in the millions.
I was their creature and I
was grateful. I could sleep
when I wanted.
Idem the Same: A Valentine to Sherwood Anderson
I knew to them.
If Briefly
Sometimes in time’ s near
unassailable sangfroid there is
a thawing
& the memory
asserts its musicality again
reminds one that it is at heart
heart’ s artificer
* * *
Somewhere in Okinawa there are stairs
“My husband is the only
constant in”
are concrete stairs that lead one
(or at least led me, age six)
near straight from top to bottom of a cliff face
& they ended in a black-sand beach
If I Had Known
If I had known
Two years ago how drear this life should be,
And crowd upon itself allstrangely sad,
Mayhap another song would burst from out my lips,
Overflowing with the happiness of future hopes;
Mayhap another throb than that of joy.
Have stirred my soul into its inmost depths,
If I had known.
If I Laid Them End to End
That old guy with the muskrat soup
slurps it loudly from the ladle
Hoowah, pretty good stuff!
You shift your weight on the stool
raise the bad leg just enough
and retrieve the red bandana hankie.
Talk still spills like sunshine
over the knife-marred counter
as slowly you wipe the can
push the cloth back in your pocket
and cough down the grape pop
glancing at the bobbing black head
where it surfaced in the pot.
If in America
If a tree falls in a forest,
does it make a sound?
If a rifle fires a shot in the woods,
whose body first hits the ground?
If a group of angry hunters
surrounds, curses at, and accosts you
for wandering onto their land
If you apologize for being lost,
inform you saw no posted signs, swallow
their chinks this and gooks taking over that;
are walking away over mud and fallen leaves when a loud
crack far behind you kicks up black earth
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride
If turnips were watches, I'd wear one by my side,
If, If's and And's were pots and pans, there would be no need for tinkers.
If you're happy and you know it
If you’re happy and you know it,
Clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it,
Clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it,
Clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it,
Stamp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it,
Stamp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it,
Stamp your feet.
If You're So Smart, Why Ain't You Rich?
I need everything else
Anything else
Desperately
But I have nothing
Shall have nothing
but this
Immediate, inescapable
and invaluable
No one can afford
THIS
Being made here and now
(Seattle, Washington
17 May, 1955)
MARIGOLDS
If —
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’ t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’ t give way to hating,
And yet don’ t look too good, nor talk too wise: