Poems for Helen

By Trevor Blum

 Love

There are worlds

And stars

And peace

Infinite gentleness

In a waste

Of want

Intuitions sharp enough

To divide

the soul

Understandings so fine

They become

Unlivable

 

There are turnings

Onto

unsure paths

Guidance

Of

Unsure light

And there are

jelly-babies

in a basket

I will leave

at

your door

On nights

When

my mind

Snows

Thick

Cold

Drifts

Of

Confusion.

 

Cloudy Day

This ponderous, oppressive sky

Grey circumscription of my visual field

Lies heavy, touching me not.

 

Your eyes, mouth, hair

Delimiting my emotional field

Lighter than substance, touch me.

 

I am warmed by your mouth,

Your breath moves me

I am a warm reed basking

Secretly on a grey day.

 

Watching the movement of the other reeds,

Knowing their desolation,

I am content with my soul-still,

Breath-moved,

Joy-warmed

Vegetable life.