The Love a Life can show Below

poem & discussion on Mark Doty's blog

It was a quiet way —

It was a quiet way —
He asked if I was his —
I made no answer of the Tongue
But answer of the Eyes —
And then He bore me on
Before this mortal noise
With swiftness, as of Chariots
And distance, as of Wheels —
This World did drop away
As Acres from the feet
Of one that leaneth from Balloon
Opon an Ether street.
The Gulf behind was not,
The Continents were new —
Eternity it was before
Eternity was due —
No Seasons were to us —
It was not Night nor Morn —
But Sunrise stopped opon the place
And fastened it in Dawn —

September's Baccalaureate

September's Baccalaureate
A combination is
Of Crickets — Crows — and Retrospects
And a dissembling Breeze

That hints without assuming —
An Innuendo sear
That makes the Heart put up it's Fun —
And turn Philosopher.

Ashes denote that Fire was —

Ashes denote that Fire was —
Revere the Grayest Pile
For the Departed Creature's sake
That hovered there awhile —

Fire exists the first in light
And then consolidates
Only the Chemist can disclose
Into what Carbonates —

What Soft — Cherubic Creatures —

What Soft — Cherubic Creatures —
These Gentlewomen are —
One would as soon assault a Plush —
Or violate a Star —

Such Dimity Convictions —
A Horror so refined
Of freckled Human Nature —
Of Deity — Ashamed —

It's such a common — Glory —
A Fisherman's — Degree —
Redemption — Brittle Lady —
Be so — ashamed of Thee —

'Tis so appalling — it exhilirates —

'Tis so appalling — it exhilirates —
So over Horror, it half captivates —
The Soul stares after it, secure —
To know the worst, leave no dread more —

To scan a Ghost, is faint —
But grappling, conquers it —
How easy, Torment, now —
Suspense kept sawing so —

The Truth, is Bald — and Cold —
But that will hold —
If any are not sure —
We show them — prayer —
But we, who know,
Stop hoping, now —

Looking at Death, is Dying —
Just let go the Breath —
And not the pillow at your cheek
So slumbereth —

Others, can wrestle —
Your's, is done —
And so of Wo, bleak dreaded — come,
It sets the Fright at liberty —
And Terror's free —
Gay, Ghastly, Holiday!

Knows how to forget!

Knows how to forget!
But could It teach it?
Easiest of Arts, they say
When one learn how

Dull hearts have died
In the Acquisition
Sacrifice for Science
Is common, though, now —

I — went to School
But was not wiser
Globe did not teach it
Nor Logarithm Show

"How to forget"!
Say some Philosopher!
Ah, to be erudite
Enough to know!

Is it in a Book?
So, I could buy it —
Is it like a Planet?
Telescopes would know —

If it be invention
It must have a Patent —
Rabbi of the Wise Book
Dont you know?

An Antiquated Tree

An Antiquated Tree
Is cherished of the Crow
Because that Junior Foliage is disrespectful now
To venerable Birds
Whose Corporation Coat
Would decorate Oblivion's
Remotest Consulate —

Within my Garden, rides a Bird

Within my Garden, rides a Bird
Opon a single Wheel —
Whose spokes a dizzy music make
As 'twere a travelling Mill —

He never stops, but slackens
Above the Ripest Rose —
Partakes without alighting
And praises as he goes,

Till every spice is tasted —
And then his Fairy Gig
Reels in remoter atmospheres —
And I rejoin my Dog,

And He and I, perplex us
If positive, 'twere we —
Or bore the Garden in the Brain
This Curiosity —

But He, the best Logician,
Refers my clumsy eye —
To just vibrating Blossoms!
An exquisite Reply!

All forgot for recollecting

All forgot for recollecting
Just a paltry One —
All forsook, for just a Stranger's
New Accompanying —

Grace of Wealth, and Grace of Station
Less accounted than
An unknown Esteem possessing —
Estimate — Who can —

Home effaced — Her faces dwindled —
Nature — altered small —
Sun — if shone — or Storm — if shattered —
Overlooked I all —

Dropped — my fate — a timid Pebble —
In thy bolder Sea —
Prove — me — Sweet — if I regret it —
Prove Myself — of Thee —

Uncertain lease — developes lustre

Uncertain lease — developes lustre
On Time —
Uncertain Grasp, appreciation
Of Sum —

The shorter Fate — is oftener the chiefest
Because
Inheritors opon a tenure
Prize —

A nearness to Tremendousness —

A nearness to Tremendousness —
An Agony procures —
Affliction ranges Boundlessness —
Vicinity to Laws

Contentment's quiet Suburb —
Affliction cannot stay
In Acres — It's Location
Is Illocality —

He showed me Hights I never saw —

He showed me Hights I never saw —
"Would'st Climb? — He said?
I said, "Not so" —
"With me — " He said — "With me"?

He showed me secrets — Morning's Nest —
The Rope the Nights ere put across —
"And now, Would'st have me for a Guest"?
I could not find my "yes" —

And then — He brake His Life — And lo,
A light for me, did solemn glow —
The larger, as my face withdrew —
And could I further "No"?

His Bill is locked — his Eye estranged

His Bill is locked — his Eye estranged
His Feathers wilted low —
The Claws that clung, like lifeless Gloves
Indifferent hanging now —
The Joy that in his happy Throat
Was waiting to be poured
Gored through and through with Death, to be
Assassin of a Bird
Resembles to my outraged mind
The firing in Heaven,
On Angels — squandering for you
Their Miracles of Tune —

Drama's Vitallest Expression is the Common Day

Drama's Vitallest Expression is the Common Day
That arise and set about Us —
Other Tragedy

Perish in the Recitation —
This — the best enact
When the Audience is scattered
And the Boxes shut —

"Hamlet" to Himself were Hamlet —
Had not Shakespeare wrote —
Though the "Romeo" left no Record
Of his Juliet,

It were infinite enacted
In the Human Heart —
Only Theatre recorded
Owner cannot shut —

Finding is the first Act

Finding is the first Act
The second, loss,
Third, Expedition for the “Golden Fleece”

Fourth, no Discovery —
Fifth, no Crew —
Finally, no Golden Fleece —
Jason, sham, too —

Is it true, dear Sue?

Is it true, dear Sue?
Are there two?
I should’nt like to come
For fear of joggling Him!
If you could shut him up
In a Coffee Cup,
Or tie him to a pin
Till I got in —
Or make him fast
To “Toby’s” fist —
Hist! Whist! I’d come!

As Watchers hang opon the East —

As Watchers hang opon the East —
As Beggars revel at a feast
By savory fancy spread —
As Books in Deserts, babble sweet
On Ear too far for the delight —
Heaven beguiles the tired.

As that same Watcher when the East
Opens the lid of Amethyst
And lets the morning go —
That Beggar, when an honored Guest —
Those thirsty lips to flagons pressed —
Heaven to us, if true.

Me prove it now — Whoever doubt

Me prove it now — Whoever doubt
Me stop to prove it — now —
Make haste — the Scruple! Death be scant
For Opportunity —

The River reaches to my feet —
As yet — My Heart be dry —
Oh Lover — Life could not convince —
Might Death — enable Thee —

The River reaches to My Breast —
Still — still — My Hands above
Proclaim with their remaining might —
Dost recognize the Love?

The River reaches to my Mouth —
Remember — when the Sea
Swept by my searching eyes — the last —
Themselves were quick — with Thee!

Bees are Black — with Gilt Surcingles —

Bees are Black — with Gilt Surcingles —
Buccaneers of Buzz —
Ride abroad in ostentation
And subsist on Fuzz —

Fuzz ordained — not Fuzz contingent —
Marrows of the Hill.
Jugs — a Universe’s fracture
Could not jar or spill.

Between My Country — and the Others —

Between My Country — and the Others —
There is a Sea —
But Flowers — negotiate between us —
As Ministry.

One Blessing had I than the rest

One Blessing had I than the rest
So larger to my Eyes
That I stopped guaging — satisfied —
For this enchanged size —

It was the limit of my Dream —
The focus of my Prayer —
A perfect — paralyzing Bliss —
Contented as Despair —

I knew no more of Want — or Cold —
Phantasms both become
For this new Value in the Soul —
Supremest Earthy Sum —

The Heaven below the Heaven above —
Obscured with ruddier Blue —
Life’s Latitudes leant over — full —
The Judgment perished — too —

Why Blisss so scantily disburse —
Why Paradise defer —
Why Floods be served to Us — in Bowls —
I speculate no more —

The World — feels Dusty

The World — feels Dusty
When We stop to Die —
We want the Des — then —
Honors — taste dry —

Flags — vex a Dying face —
But the least Fan
Stirred by a friend’s Hand —
Cools — like the Rain —

Mine be the Ministry
When thy Thirst comes —
Dews of Thessaly, to fetch —
and Hybla Balms —

Removed from Accident of Loss

Removed from Accident of Loss
By Accident of Gain
Befalling not my simple Days —
Myself had just to earn —

Of Riches — as unconscious
As is the Brown Malay
Of Pearls in Eastern Waters —
Marked His — What Holiday

Would stir his slow conception —
Had he the power to dream
That but the Dower's fraction —
Awaited even — Him —

Undue Significance a starving man attaches

Undue Significance a starving man attaches
To Food —
Far off — He sighs — and therefore — Hopeless —
And therefore — Good —

Partaken — it relieves — indeed —
But proves us
That Spices fly
In the Receipt — It was the Distance —
Was Savory —