Thursday, April 24, 2014

Delicacies by Stephen Dunn

You can walk a long time
among oaks and pines
before you realize small animals
have been watching you
from their hideaways,
recording, for the good
of their species, how you move,
and what you might do next.

And it's rare when the wind
in the leaves reminds you
of the laughter you heard
one day, far off, the kind
you wanted to move towards,
so devoid of malice, joyous,
at no one's expense.

And even rarer, when out
looking for raspberries,
to come across a bra
on the ground, other articles
of clothing voluntarily-
you're sure-strewn about,

and be moved to turn
and go back to your car
with its tank full of supreme
quite certain you don't need
to disturb what's sufficient
to imagine or dream.