Monday, February 28, 2011

ashore

charles sprague pearce reading by the shore


she brought herself to this place
already knowing
the nonchalant pose
even the title of the book being read

~

last night
she had been reading poetry
and drinking wine
alone
in a small candle-shadowed apartment
drifting aimlessly

in that moment of then
the air moved slowly
through an open window

she could see
rain
falling
thick and golden
in the gaslight flare

~

in this moment of now
she is remembering

holding the rice paper umbrella's
lacquered stiffness
and forming
soft words with her eyes

sand and water
whispering
its coming and going

and she lies
still
as if washed ashore
tangled and overlooked
like so much seaweed


2 comments:

  1. This is really beautiful, Steven. I have an old rice paper umbrella, brought back from Japan years ago. It has a large hole in the paper, but I can't bear to part with it.

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  2. hello tess, long ago i too had a lovely lacquered rice paper umbrella. it seemed extraordinary that something so beautiful could have such a common a place task. there's a learning in that! steven

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