Ouse 1

http://www.poetryinternationalweb.net/pi/site/poem/item/22707/auto/The-river-has-no-comfort-to-offer

Ouse 1
(response to Gro Dahle)

a weeping girl draws comfort
from the river
she hurries along
runs, runs, with a beating heart
it never leaves her
the river reflects the rain
at times sunrise, South Downs, and sky
it speaks with the salt tongue of the ocean

what is the river's comfort
the river has a woman who went into the water
behind the bend you went into the water
early in the morning
the river was your comfort, or are you still weeping
you are guiding the water past
past and past
run, run, little girl, weep

walking on frozen grass (sleeping in your arms)

grow, tonight, your arms around me
sink your roots,
the earth though frozen be
sink deeper,
grow:
the blood that runs
is warmer still
so you may grow,
around this pain
grow deeper, darker yet
the winter night's cold fingers touch
me not. light treads the morning,
walks on frozen blades of grass.
see how pale i have become

the raft

it is dark on this side of the water
dark and cold on this side
i got used to the demons who live here
fear is security, too, for this is what i know,
this is what i know –
in the dark i am gathering sticks,
sticks and branches,
ropes, and string
I WILL BUILD A RAFT
wondering when the day will come
i gather sticks and branches,
ropes and string
i do not know
how to build a raft, i do not know
i am afraid
it might sink–
and how am i to know when i will have enough
sticks and branches, how will i know how to make
an effort with my hands and feet, how will i know how
to reach the other shore, how do i know where –
on brighter days i can sometimes see
dreamlike images of the promised land
and i believe
the tales of others who say they have seen it, clearly
i believe there is another shore
beyond
the sea, i believe in the freedom of suffering –

as a child i used to see the other side of the water,
the other shore of the Fl. fjord, the sun cast its rays onto that foreign land
i used to dream of crossing over, swimming, i was a strong swimmer
still, invariably i was sucked under
by the demons of the shallow depths
to wake up frightened –

still i stand on this side of the water,
in the darkness i hold my sticks,
my fear is all i know
sometimes i dream
I WILL BUILD A RAFT

autumn

autumn was thorough and
stripped the trees
bare.

how is it that
not naked, nor unclothed
they stand
magnificently,
still.
how is it that
not cold, nor shivering
they stand
with dignity –

while even summer's foliage will never hide our shame

as the clouds break
branches beckon
the overwintering
bird.

walking at night

through the darkened streets
by the moonlight
hiding behind clouds
nobody sings
the wind's blown out the lanterns

hope

on the bare branches buds
promise next year's leaves
this morning
i put all my faith in this promise
all my dreams on this tree

untitled

she picks fading flowers from the grass
an ambulance speeds past

she looks at me and smiles

runs towards me, fading flowers in her fist:
they are for you, let us go home now

and we go
the siren's sound is fading, seagulls cry
i clutch the wilted clover and her hand