Tuesday, June 29, 2010

And the Light Tore a Hole in the Clouds

We didn't exactly plan on visiting Emily Dickinson's grave during a thunderstorm, but when the sky opened up, we were with it. Actually, it was friendly thunderstorm, as far as thunderstorms go--nothing like the poem below. A mess of rain of course, but just one big knock of thunder, and the light tore a hole in the clouds.









824
Emily Dickinson

The Wind begun to rock the Grass
With threatening Tunes and low --
He threw a Menace at the Earth --
A Menace at the Sky.

The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees --
And started all abroad
The Dust did scoop itself like Hands
And threw away the Road.

The Wagons quickened on the Streets
The Thunder hurried slow --
The Lightning showed a Yellow Beak
And then a livid Claw.

The Birds put up the Bars to Nests --
The Cattle fled to Barns --
There came one drop of Giant Rain
And then as if the Hands

That held the Dams had parted hold
The Waters Wrecked the Sky,
But overlooked my Father's House --
Just quartering a Tree --

2 comments:

Nancy Devine said...

a friend/colleague today just mentioned emily dickinson's grave and the transcription on it. we were at a terrific pastry shop in fargo, north dakota with teachers who've come together to work on writing. (great timing on posting the picture) on the way back to grand forks, my friend/colleague created a found poem about gary coleman using text from People Magazine. seems to be poetry everywhere if you know how to look. ;)

Paul Lisicky said...

Here's a quote for you from the wonderful James Tate: "When one is highly alert to language, then nearly everything begs to be a poem."

I'd like to read that Gary Coleman poem.