Some words
in proper combination
and just-so order
contain light
but only light for certain eyes
and maybe only at certain times
light like no other
light for parents
whose children scream
or fall silent
light for sisters
who have lost sisters
light for the desperate and lonely
light for men drowning drink by drink
for the girl not taken to the dance
and the boy lacking courage
to ask her
light for the surgeon who failed
light for the bored housewife
contemplating escape
light for the third child
of a forgotten family
seeking shelter
in a dead city
Light for the wounded of the earth
and the lost
Some words are holy
though you are unlikely to find them in scripture
Some words staunch the bleeding
Sometimes these words
are lightning
sometimes thunder
sometimes a breeze across the ages
And I have lived my life for these words
in their pursuit and service
Come Hemingway
Come Faulkner
Come Hannah
Come Bukowski
Come Caldwell
Come Carver
Come Lee
Come the unknown genius who knows the mysteries of my heart
Come you thick Russians
Come Borges
Come Bradbury
Come Brautigan
Come Welty
Come Brown
Come light
Come, always, light
Some words
in proper combination
can save your soul
can teach you its pits and textures
And we are all ****** and bleeding and words are what hope is made from
And some words
are what remain of heaven
when angels give way
and sometimes
they are enough
Apr 29, 2018
Apr 29, 2018 at 10:52 AM UTC
Some words
in proper combination
and just-so order
contain light
but only light for certain eyes
and maybe only at certain times
light like no other
light for parents
whose children scream
or fall silent
light for sisters
who have lost sisters
light for the desperate and lonely
light for men drowning drink by drink
for the girl not taken to the dance
and the boy lacking courage
to ask her
light for the surgeon who failed
light for the bored housewife
contemplating escape
light for the third child
of a forgotten family
seeking shelter
in a dead city
Light for the wounded of the earth
and the lost
Some words are holy
though you are unlikely to find them in scripture
Some words staunch the bleeding
Sometimes these words
are lightning
sometimes thunder
sometimes a breeze across the ages
And I have lived my life for these words
in their pursuit and service
Come Hemingway
Come Faulkner
Come Hannah
Come Bukowski
Come Caldwell
Come Carver
Come Lee
Come the unknown genius who knows the mysteries of my heart
Come you thick Russians
Come Borges
Come Bradbury
Come Brautigan
Come Welty
Come Brown
Come light
Come, always, light
Some words
in proper combination
can save your soul
can teach you its pits and textures
And we are all ****** and bleeding and words are what hope is made from
And some words
are what remain of heaven
when angels give way
and sometimes
they are enough
Request permission to use this poem