Friday, September 11, 2009

On 9/11

Found this stunning poem, Cello, by Dorianne Laux, on Joshua Robbin's blog Little Epic Against Oblivion and had to share, because it is. What it is.

Cello

When a dead tree falls in a forest
it often falls into the arms
of a living tree. The dead,
thus embraced, rasp in wind,
slowly carving a niche
in the living branch, shearing away
the rough outer flesh, revealing
the pinkish, yellowish, feverish
inner bark. For years
the dead tree rubs its fallen body
against the living, building
its dead music, making its raw mark,
wearing the tough bough down
as it moans and bends, the deep
rosined bow sound of the living
shouldering the dead.

September 10, 2002


Dorianne Laux
from Facts About the Moon

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4 comments:

  1. Lakin, thanks for reposting the poem from my blog. Whatever we can all do to increase poetry's readership, and especially a poem like Dorianne's "Cello" on a day like 9/11.

    I browsed your blog a bit, and it was wonderful to see those pictures of Sonoma and Rohnert Park. I grew up in the East Bay and would travel to Rohnert Park a few times a year. Having lived away from California for almost a decade, I forget what it looks like, how the light is different.

    Also, do you know another book called "The Southern Cross"? If you don't, it's by Charles Wright. Worth checking out.

    Take care!

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  2. Wow. I think I'd like to repost that as well. One of those that make you stop for a while, and don't leave.

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  3. mmichele..yes, it is one of those. It lingers. The imagery is perfect for that feeling.

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  4. Josh...I agree. Poetry comes as close as music to expressing the un-expressable.

    Glad you enjoyed the blog and the photos! I'll try to post more of them for the ex-pats out there. Even in one decade so much changes, but not the light.

    Interesting that you should mention "The Southern Cross," as I am reading it, but not the one by Charles Wright. The one I'm reading is a collection of short stories by Skip Horack and I like it a whole bunch. I'll look for the Charles Wright one. It might be in the next library!

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Noise makers!