HOW POETRY COMES TO ME It comes blundering over the Boulders at night, it stays Frightened outside the Range of my campfire I go to meet it at the Edge of the light SURROUNDED BY WILD TURKEYS Little calls as they pass through dry forbs and grasses Under blue oak and gray digger pine In the warm afternoon of the forest-fire haze; Twenty or more, long-legged birds all alike. So are we, in our soft calling, passing on through. Our young, which trail after, Look just like us. THOUGHTS ON LOOKING AT A SAMUEL PALMER ETCHING AT THE TATE Moonlight landscape, sheep, and shepherds watching eerie beauty The broad sheep backs resting bunched up under leafy oaks or hid in black moon shadow, Lives of cows and sheep-- calf mouth that sucks your finger the steer that pokes his head through pipe iron gate to lick lapel, and lightly touch and taste the buttons of your coat, Cows that trail you are as you cross the meadow; & silent sheep slow heads turning solemn faces hooves fringed in dewy grass. They stamp and steam in chilly morn and gaze at length on clouds and hills before they board the truck. Excerpted from No Nature: New and Selected Poems by Gary Snyder All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
