I am Glad of Your Arrival, and: In the Dumps, and Upon My Word
- I am Glad of Your Arrival, and: In the Dumps, and Upon My Word
I am Glad of Your Arrival
Addressing the morning I sayIt was good of you to come as ifit were the sole visitor amidst scandalwhen in fact it has been endlesswith the trees and grass and carsand the cowbell someone’s usingas a wind chime in the windsjust remnants of the stormthat wouldn’t stay I have thoughtto run away from what I ownwho hasn’t but what else do I havewhere would I go The sky is everywhereat once like a big movieand though I think I know howit’s going to end and with what musicthere is uncertainty enoughto hold me still [End Page 118]
In the Dumps
Heather ChristleJust because we’ve broken my headdoesn’t mean we must glue it togetherThere’s other work to be done and darkgrass freezing There is some old lightto read by and large pink thumbsAnd with my head apart I thinkthe world can get in easy Thispound of dirt I’m holding weighs a ton [End Page 119]
Upon My Word
I can see that I have blunderedOh hell helloThere is a long line back to wherewe came from and last night at lastthe night wore itself out It layitself down over the housesAnd whence the cars go whenceThey have been through so muchI’ve even seen them zoom directlythrough the mountain My own car makesa funny noise and my noiseis this talking I’m recitingwhere the sky wants me to goGo use up the light burn down the candleI am wearing out this song upon my face [End Page 120]
Heather Christle is the author of What Is Amazing, The Difficult Farm, and The Trees The Trees, which won the 2012 Believer Poetry Award. She is the web editor for Jubilat and teaches poetry at Sarah Lawrence College.
