Paper Bridges: Selected Poems of Kadya Molodowsky

My Ship of Gopher Wood

My Ship of Gopher Wood215 Whether or not it starts to rain— I'll build a ship of gopher wood And float away to Leylit Land. Where on earth is this Leylit Land? Who knows? What's there to do in Leylit Land? Who knows? Whether it's far or whether it's deep, There is still no mast upon my ship For me to reach Leylit Land. When I am sick And when I'm tired— Let me drift toward Leylit Land. There, they have a pure white bird The healer of my ailments. It would listen to my heart, Tap between my shoulder blades, And ask me why my face is pale, Then write me a prescription In the script of Leylit Land. It guarantees I'll live forever, Never sick or old or tired. Whether or not it starts to rain— I'll build a ship of gopher wood And float away to Leylit Land. I build the ship all day, all night, Even in dreams, it's never done. Maybe tomorrow I'll finish it, Raising high the tallest mast, And float away to Leylit Land. 445 OXVI - p?T Dyn oxn px y?*?§ H jyaip f?yn p m s TX J ^71 ]»p rx Oy T K pXT pX ^ p§ ps ^ r]yTy^ ^x^^ x nxn -px ^ n >X73 "[D X > s -iy?Vs H Vyn 7X px - pj?r t:yn oxn px H ]y»ip t^yn pmx TX Dw H H ^DVXH 0^3 oy^xs ?a TTD toyn nyn ?pynD ir^s^x TX ^yn m px 446 ...