We come here every morning
– you and I – almost
at the same appointed hour
here in the midst
of who we think we are
we disappear
if only for a moment
fledgelings on the gutter
take to flight
yes – there is only me here now
tonight
-
Fledgelings
-
At first light
We should live out our lives
like a horse running free
at first lightnot head hanging low
in the mist
grazing on grass stubsthe world is a tumbledown house
at the side of a road
going nowhereI have been all along
from the startfree
without knowing
-
Salt
Tonight I take no comfort anywhere
but in these drab lines,
which like an undiscovered crime
I babble to you my comrade,
my confessor.Bless me Father for I have sinned;
a drowning man who longs for water.Salt tastes sweet when you have no sugar.
-
Lighter
The old man had lost something
of inestimable worth,
more precious than he could ever say.Now his burden felt a little lighter,
a little lighter,
as he went upon his way.
-
Family portrait
That man I saw
sleeping by the sea
turned out to be a rock formation,
little group of threesleeping by the sea
sleeping by the sea
while his woman rocked the baby
back to sleep
tenderly
-
We are not strangers
When birds awake at night
and dogs cry out
I call for youwe are not strangers
I read about that meeting
at the well,the truth of water
feeling the level rise
to promise lifeI reach for you
as birds cry out at night
they are not strangers
either
-
Long ago
And how will I know
when you have beenwill it be written
in words I can reador written in water
and will there be tearswhen you have left me
not to returnfor I am so old now
and wear out my dayswith scales round my eyes
like some kind of lizardand you only come now
when I’m asleepat the old kitchen table
brought here with lovelong ago
-
Albany
I’d been traveling,
I’d been traveling,
through woods and over fields
in the neighbourhood of Albany,
where true things lay concealed.The blackbird that came with me,
in so strange a way pursued me
had proved the most diverting
company.If I stopped a while to think
or to take a little drink,
he’d return to me and urge me
to continue.At other times he’d linger
this purest of all singers,
and offer me some melody
or other;each note floating free
with such delicacy of tone
that it pierced my heart
and elevated me,but as night began to fall
I saw the bird no more
he that picked the secret
in my soul.In Albany one springtime
long ago.
-
Without knowing why
Here I sit
without knowing whygazing up
at the shimmering leaveson the back yard wall
and wondering howI came here at all
to this sad lovely instantbecause you called
of course
because you call
-
One for Leonard
Last night I didn’t say my prayers
but whispered Leonard Cohen songs instead.They bathed my heart
in sorrow’s deepest glowuntil I knew I wasn’t on my own
and then I slept.Tonight I’ll mutter every
prayer I knowand one for Leonard
and if they sang his songs
in church,I’d go
just once for Leonard.
Another Way of Saying 