Tuesday, October 14, 2008

revision

Antiope

I found a road that walks me to the sea,
and no one stops me. They know
my shame will keep me
from running.

I find a high rock to stare from—my heart
beats “distance, distance”, out
over the uninterruptible,
hushing waves.

But the nearer waters are so clear. How
can the water bear it? To be seen
straight through to her purple
spines, to every tossed
stone?

4 comments:

elizabeth said...

alternatively,
But the nearer waters are so clear. How
can the water bear it? To be seen
straight through to her urchin
spines, to every tossed
stone?

flapjack sally, alias hot biscuit sal said...

I vote for urchin spines.

As for the rest, I'm trying to find the first version I saw of this so I can comment more informedly and deeply. I only remember that I loved it very much, and that is still true.

elizabeth said...

oh, only the ending is different. it was.

...To be seen
straight through to rock,
to every alga?

problem was, nobody knew what an alga was.

flapjack sally, alias hot biscuit sal said...

Are you sure about the word "tossed"?