Poetry |

“from his wrist,” “each being the / moon,” “eyes upon seize,” “if I’m not that person” & “no one”

from his wrist                         12.8.2024

to mine keeping

time when every

moment poses a

question when he

died & the

watch had stopped

& then she

transferred it to

my wrist today

marks the day

of Buddha’s enlightenment

here today gray

& rain the

watch loose around

my wrist where

does our reading

go hidden in

blood & breath

second hand makes

a steady sweep

 

 

◆    ◆     ◆

 

 

each being the                        12.10.2024

moon how a

shape becomes a

person to whom

do you tell

your story when

each day slips

into place within

your body cells

multiplying dying &

dividing whose business

are you he

built his own

place carefully a

slight distance apart

each morning how

long before you

are limber he

loved the word

deliberate with this

steady rain the

ditch once again

an artery bearing

water to Coal

Fire Creek i

live here too

cows graze making

a path to

gather in shade

moon water person

turning & turning

 

 

◆    ◆     ◆

 

 

eyes upon seize                               12.28.2024

assets you don’t

know who i

am    do i?

large scale a

worsening wreck hurtling

toward what    so

he called us

sad marvels   here

trees majestic vulnerable

pines cows huddle

along tree line

& you know

something is happening

a private buddha

will never find

enlightenment you &

i arrive here

in silence   parkinson’s

cancer & accidents

love & compassion

entwined with blood

anomalies tests &

 

explanations final books

rumbling & awakened

clarinet great wave

sets crashing on

the north shore

birds at the

feeder an hour

before severe weather

 

 

◆    ◆     ◆

 

 

if i’m not that person anymore

if the other shore is nearby

if your diligence takes place with ease

if the other shore is here

if you know exactly where to put away the clean forks spoons knives salad plates & dinner plates

if in your diligence you sense a surrounding joyous space around this given body

if once you thought yourself smart

if you know what we cannot see with our diligent eyes

if the silver bowl is filled with snow

if now you are upright & at ease

if five large pine trees keel over uprooted by a straight-line wind burst & they all fall away from your house

if one root-ball itself weighs four thousand pounds

if your beloved cousin-brother Ben has suddenly died

if a friend’s ambient music is an essential piece of that surrounding light

if you walk about on the other shore perhaps one day to return through rejuvenating mist

 

8.4.2024 / Duncan Farm

 

 

◆    ◆     ◆

 

 

no one

should read it

cover to cover

*

simple

is not

a simple word

*

the smaller dog

barks at the larger

but really wants to play

*

freedom of action

means reduced

time of doing something

for

someone else

*

each tree

is

perfect as it is

*

when it comes to

being & time

does one person

really know

more than another

*

rinse the farro

first                                                10.11.2024

Contributor
Hank Lazer

Hank Lazer‘s thirty-fourth book is Pieces (BlazeVox, 2022). His New and Selected Poems and What Were You Thinking?–Essays 2006-2023 are planned for late 2023 or early 2024..

Posted in Poetry

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