The Yard (West Hartford, 1970)

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abounded light confused but radiating stirred
and lost between a summer gesture

when I was young I always wanted weather
apples strewn in grass    I heard the trees
ask after me
spectral horses
strung along the language of the hours
back there behind the house in moss
I held a story let you sound me out

or you spoke in shallow sleep: movement on the wall
bed become so small

consider what you planted with those stolen seeds:

earth reveals its layers 
a god to force me under
make me loam and garden


by Nancy Bevilaqua

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 8, 2015 at 7:13 PM

    "spectral horses
    strung along the language of the hours" Two of many potent lines in this thoughtful piece--very effective universal closing stanza as well

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSeptember 9, 2015 at 9:18 AM

    Absolutely enchanting. 'Consider what you planted with those stolen seeds' could be interpreted so many different ways and that, for me, is one of the signs of excellent poetry. There is an uncomfortable cadence that makes the words and images even more evocative. Excellent work

    ReplyDelete
  3. NickSeptember 9, 2015 at 11:56 AM

    Really like
    'when I was young I always wanted weather
    apples strewn in grass'

    ReplyDelete
  4. FrancesSeptember 11, 2015 at 6:46 PM

    These words are so evocative.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nancy BevilaquaSeptember 11, 2015 at 9:32 PM

    Thank you all so much for the kind comments!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2015 at 4:25 PM

      I am "anonymous" who commented above (I am too lazy to create a profile, but my name is Jim)--there is truly a mystical quality to your poem--the comments made about this richly crafted work are well deserved--hope to see other verse you pen

      Delete
  6. UnknownSeptember 13, 2015 at 10:33 PM

    hello nancy

    mere sentences cannot express the volume of your expansive words. it is truly divine. an acquaintance on Hello Poetry, an online writing site once declared i had the Gift. well, the mystical pen is awarded to u as well. so bold, stirring like a beautiful sunset yet abstract in nature. i hope future verse will continue this wanderlust mind.

    ReplyDelete

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