Steven+Douglas+webb

Poetry...is...a speaking picture, with his end: to teach and delight- SIr L Philip Sydney

Ode Rain  It depresses millions of people ignites millions with gratitude saves millions of people in the desert drowns millions in the rain forest raises plants, vegetables, fruit, and many other yet we despise it so to a large extent no one has gratitude to the rain except for the deranged when someone smiles in the rain we look confused and scared the rain keeps us alive yet we use rain coats, umbrellas, and rain boots all to protect us from something that keeps us alive maybe we should hold cups and drink the rain we should embrace something that millions need yet we all run into our house when the beautiful rain tries to embrace us so for all those who don't say it thank you rain for you There is no happiness like mine. I have been eating poetry.
 * **Eating Poetry** ||||  ||
 * by [|Mark Strand] ||
 * Ink runs from the corners of my mouth.
 * Ink runs from the corners of my mouth.

The librarian does not believe what she sees. Her eyes are sad and she walks with her hands in her dress.

The poems are gone. The light is dim. The dogs are on the basement stairs and coming up.

Their eyeballs roll, their blond legs burn like brush. The poor librarian begins to stamp her feet and weep. She does not understand. When I get on my knees and lick her hand, she screams.

I am a new man. I snarl at her and bark. I romp with joy in the bookish dark. ||

I sat on the porch having a smoke when out of the blue a man and a camel happened by. Neither uttered a sound at first, but as they drifted up the street and out of town the two of them began to sing. Yet what they sang is still a mystery to me— the words were indistinct and the tune too ornamental to recall. Into the desert they went and as they went their voices rose as one above the sifting sound of windblown sand. The wonder of their singing, its elusive blend of man and camel, seemed an ideal image for all uncommon couples. Was this the night that I had waited for so long? I wanted to believe it was, but just as they were vanishing, the man and camel ceased to sing, and galloped back to town. They stood before my porch, staring up at me with beady eyes, and said: "You ruined it. You ruined it forever." ||
 * **Man and Camel** ||||  ||
 * by [|Mark Strand] ||
 * On the eve of my fortieth birthday
 * On the eve of my fortieth birthday

the coming of love, the coming of light. You wake and the candles are lit as if by themselves, stars gather, dreams pour into your pillows, sending up warm bouquets of air. Even this late the bones of the body shine and tomorrow's dust flares into breath. ||
 * **The Coming of Light** ||||  ||
 * by [|Mark Strand] ||
 * Even this late it happens:
 * Even this late it happens:

Philip Sydney

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