Poetry Series: I’ll Become a Whale; A Gentle Reminder
By Sydney Read
I’ll Become a Whale
When death comes听
听 听 听 听 听 and if I鈥檓 lucky听
I鈥檒l go back to the water.听
I鈥檒l become a whale.听
Watch me slip, steady听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Out and Into
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 the great blue听
See my back,听
Sunny-slick and breached?
I found, there, between
the waves some
warmth and ease, at last
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 A little rest.听
And
Oh, I鈥檒l chitter with delight听
When I find that听
别惫别谤测诲补测听
is my great journey
my humble flight
So when the water gets too warm听
The sun too close听
听 听 听 听 听 (as I鈥檓 sure听
听 听 听 听 听 It鈥檚 wont to do)
Watch me dive鈥斕
听 听 听 听 听 Dive!听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 With one听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 simple听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 strong听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 stroke听
听 听 听 听 听 Swoosh!听
Down, down
听 听 听 听 听 Under, Into听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 the blue-dark听
Of shimmering tentacle friends
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 and little gods.听
You won鈥檛 see my fin, its gentle wave
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Hello,听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 I鈥檒l say, a shy visitor
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 You are beautiful. I know that beauty doesn鈥檛 need
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 a name
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Only, a little love.
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Could I stay for a moment? With a little love?
A blink,听
听 听 听 听 听 a swish,听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 a crackle-blue electric wish
听 听 听 听 听 For peace.
And so I鈥檒l stay a little while听
For cold water stories.听
听 听 听 听 听 From where I鈥檝e been听
听 听 听 听 听 For where I鈥檓 going.听
I鈥檒l wave hello to Giant Squid
I鈥檒l tell him about the sun听
听 听 听 听 听 Bright and brave听
听 听 听 听 听 It reaches, ever farther,
听 听 听 听 听 and learns.
听 听 听 听 听 A journeyman, like you听
He鈥檒l chirp wonderfully, tentacles tickling
He has not seen the sun
And one day, when he dies听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 if he鈥檚 lucky听
He says he鈥檇 like to become a bird听
听 听 听 听 听 I鈥檒l dive into the sky if it鈥檒l have me,
听 听 听 听 听 Mark my words I鈥檒l鈥
听 听 听 听 听 I鈥檒l touch the sun.听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 A blink,听
听 听 听 听 听 a swish,听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 a crackle-blue electric wish
听 听 听 听 听 For peace.
And
贵颈苍补濒濒测听
When the dark
听 听 听 听 听 is enough and sun is听
听 听 听 听 听 enough and time is enough
I鈥檒l take my tale across the great water
I鈥檒l take the stories on my back and
听 听 听 听 听 leave my love behind听
Patience guide me听听
to the end of the world听
听 听 听 听 听 They never found it. Pray they never will.听
A flick of my tale,听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 a final smile听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 A splash!听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 I鈥檒l tip over,
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 off听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 And into听
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 the stars.听
A Gentle Reminder
奥别濒濒,听
it鈥檚 not really听
about the snow.听
it鈥檚 the ice that鈥檚听
The Problem.听
They tell me this with knowing smiles,听
a gentle hand on my arm.听
imagining perhaps听
my future听
(inevitable)
补苍驳别谤,听
my car helplessly stuck听
in its space.听
We must get used听
to the world and听
know that it听
is hard.听
And that
That听
is living.听
Here is why snow听
Is dull and difficult to drive in.听
It鈥檚 not about the snow. Think:
Where are you going?听
You may not get there.
But I have never seen听
deep snow!听
New sight, new sound (soundless!)听
and what a gift to know it!听
I鈥檓 from the South.
(I鈥檓 sorry)听
We cry for the snow.
Back home, we flush听
ice down听
the toilet.听
We turn our peejays insideout听
we beg听
to watch it come听
just to see it go.听
But oh, when it stayed!
The landscape altered听
and how it altered us.听
Snow made us frantic rosy people, stumbling听
about, fumbling with our humanity like car keys.听
Snow meant my step dad pulling out dusty sleds听
and pushing us down a novel ice street and听
Building snowmen out of mostly dirt and听
taking photos and saying thanks听
for a day, before it went,
as all things do.
I have never seen snow stay.听
Now,
I sink my boots into forever-snow听
I鈥檝e forgotten, a little听
What the ground looks like and grass looks like.听
Yes, my car got stuck and my face was red and frustrated.听
I鈥檝e walked on ice and worn big coats and seen my hands听
Turn blue.听
It gets dark so early here (read: I sleep forever here!)听
I鈥檝e now had the privilege听
Of being bored by snow (the world)听
I see, yes,听
That it is hard.听
But see my puppy!听
See her play, see her dash and make powder
and chomp snowballs in her mouth.听
I cannot help but sink into its deepness with her.听
What a season! What a life!听
What a crystal blue sunset听
Over a snowglobe world.听
I think I鈥檒l still cry听
When the snow goes.