Every event has a cause
but the sequence of events is random
and nothing happens for a reason
or by necessity
You might have argued differently
had you trusted logic
for the absence of character
that belied your achievements
Company had eased delirium
Unfamiliar caregivers brought blankets
and pieces of meat to the vigil
they sat as you strengthened
You belonged, after all, elsewhere
It was time to leave your personal space
where the hoot owl called
as sadness tumbled the river within
The shit you had smeared across your face
could have been streaks of painted color
and you wanted to prove fearless
even with your fallen understanding
The poem forces me to ask of its inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThe poem frightens me from asking.
inspiration: the way i read this, an archetypal situation: foreigner becomes sick in the land he is exploring, then nursed to health by the natives--but he must move on, and display an authority he isnt confident in. classic narrative on this model is cabeza da vaca's--magnificent, read it!--but others come to mind as well. implications, huge. hey chico--congratulations on this, i love it.
ReplyDeleteHey Chico. I have been wondering about you for years! Someone mentioned you lived in VT and while working on contacts for 40th reunion, I plugged in your name, and found your site. Always admired your find mind and see you are still putting it to good use.
ReplyDeleteGo to www.ghs70.com if you would like to respond or at least post an update for reunion program. Hope you are healthy and happy. Fondly, Barbara Rose