Besides the Autumn poets sing, A few prosaic days A little this side of the snow And that side of the Haze - A few incisive mornings - A few Ascetic eves - Gone - Mr Bryant’s “Golden Rod” - And Mr Thomson’s “sheaves.” Still, is the bustle in the brook - Sealed are the spicy valves - Mesmeric fingers softly touch The eyes of many Elves - Perhaps a squirrel may remain - My sentiments to share - Grant me, Oh Lord, a sunny mind - Thy windy will to bear!
This poem is in the public domain.
wade
through black jade.
       Of the crow-blue mussel-shells, one keeps
       adjusting the ash-heaps;
              opening and shutting itself like
an
injured fan.
       The barnacles which encrust the side
       of the wave, cannot hide
              there for the submerged shafts of the
sun,
split like spun
       glass, move themselves with spotlight swiftness
       into the crevices—
              in and out, illuminating
the
turquoise sea
       of bodies. The water drives a wedge
       of iron through the iron edge
              of the cliff; whereupon the stars,
pink
rice-grains, ink-
       bespattered jelly fish, crabs like green
       lilies, and submarine
              toadstools, slide each on the other.
All
external
       marks of abuse are present on this
       defiant edifice—
              all the physical features of
ac-
cident—lack
       of cornice, dynamite grooves, burns, and
       hatchet strokes, these things stand
              out on it; the chasm-side is
dead.
Repeated
       evidence has proved that it can live
       on what can not revive
              its youth. The sea grows old in it.
This poem is in the public domain.
hist     whist 
little ghostthings 
tip-toe 
twinkle-toe 
little twitchy 
witches and tingling 
goblins 
hob-a-nob     hob-a-nob 
little hoppy happy 
toad in tweeds 
tweeds 
little itchy mousies 
with scuttling 
eyes     rustle and run     and 
hidehidehide 
whisk 
whisk     look out for the old woman 
with the wart on her nose 
what she’ll do to yer 
nobody knows 
for she knows the devil     ooch 
the devil     ouch 
the devil 
ach     the great 
green 
dancing 
devil 
devil 
devil 
devil 
     wheeEEE 
This poem is in the public domain. Published in Poem-a-Day on October 29, 2023, by the Academy of American Poets.