A Rather Late Day 6

A Blessing

Just off the highway to Rochester, Minnesota,

Twilight bounds softly forth on the grass.

And the eyes of those two Indian ponies

Darken with kindness.

They have come gladly out of the willows

To welcome my friend and me.

We step over the barbed wire into the pasture

Where they have been grazing all day, alone.

They ripple tensely, they can hardly contain their happiness

That we have come.

They bow shyly as wet swans. They love each other.

There is no loneliness like theirs.

At home once more,

They begin munching the young tufts of spring in the darkness.

I would like to hold the slenderer one in my arms,

For she has walked over to me

And nuzzled my left hand.

She is black and white,

Her mane falls wild on her forehead,

And the light breeze moves me to caress her long ear

That is delicate as the skin over a girl’s wrist.

Suddenly I realize

That if I stepped out of my body I would break

Into blossom.

- James Wright

- - -

Hyperopia at the Security Checkpoint

And it was quite beautiful and it was far away
Cause everything beautiful is far away
                              - Grandaddy

There is you 
Walking
Away and with
Each step becoming
Clearer. Slight

Angle of your head
as you favor your left
leg in line, while I 
remember thigh and bit
lip, darker breast against 

dark window open 
at last in
spring's first sweat.
Further now, you 
Turn and wave

Chipped middle nail
the canned corn 
caught with a howl. I have
Never loved you
more.

- tony