1268
up and down
up
back on the track above Messen
the town is climbing
here’s a long growl howl
or other way around
it’s sipping
we pause to go on
which is up
though it’s the other way
with creek
with falls
with rain
breath catches us
we’re leaving the saws
far far below
time is there to step from
and I could lose my way
but won’t
on rocks where I have been before
in bracken dell
pine still
hollow the head
and will you, world, keep up with me?
o tiny flutter
where I’ve disturbed
and wish I had those wings for up
so effortless to glide must be
on just some worm or insect thrust
blueberries
fresh leafed
promising not yet
my friends not yet
sip and get
the whistle wet
come to the spot
you know from before
it’s like remembering a skin
this four-year-after crawl
(and every page now colour)
(the insect learns to be alive
briefly briefly we too)
birch flutter, clouds flit
long way to go
all of this sits, just waiting for snow
until in a gnarl of dizzy
just sit
until the mountain passes
after a while
so I’m in
bathed in the mountain
that’s just being here
an instinct knows the turns of it
mountain is a workout
have come so far
here’s salt in your eye
(and some days mud)
pace myself, other selves
ants an instance
(ants make a mountain of me)
there isn’t an end of day you could touch
it’s midsummer next week
all of this is in the book
where I am writing now
down
gently and gently
foot for foot after
there’s some little bird tells
I am overwriting the way come
and steady
slip sideways
if must
the moss and me
we got here by chance
slip
where the ice scraped
through and out
no stopwatch
but there’s bird and stream
that instinct which is memory
lives like a toehold
so see the world sunk
branches smooth
where hands have held
maidenhair, grass fresh green
meet, ask
do you know what the weather will be?
careful with the track now
and gingerly the knee
for every crime of aspiration
there is this going
down
to where the town’s all talk
boasts smoke
a different rhythm down
remember to be
where you are
