BEATITUDE #4-b

WEEPING OF THE SUN

on the weeping sun
dead leaves freeze the earth
and cry the slowly dust down
amid them;

every where poison, and a corpse
smokes the dark sky in a rising
cloud and the trees say
one dark scream.

O sing, O gone. O far
empty dream lost in the corner
of a dog's torn ear, is
earth's golden voice

gone with the tender grass
and limber tall stalk, and
flowers grown yellow . . .
gone?

O why, O sad, stiff child
is night's grey tear there
With nothing to hear in
a cricket's prayer?

Naked birds in the rising rain
down against the earth's death
walk on strange feathers, and
all the hollow houses calling.
--Richard McBride

MAPLE-BRIDGE NIGHT-MOORING

cries the crow
frost the sky is moon and
falling
a maple
on a river-bank
lined against fire
he fishes
alone
his face in mask of seeming
sleep
SOOCHOW
i see you city
which of us
outside
look midnight
to the
HANSHAN temple
pillar
bell
sound

-- RUTH WEISS

MAPLE BRIDGE NIGHT MOORING

The moon has set.
A crow caws
Frost fills the sky.

Among the dark river maples
the lanterns of the fishing boats.
We have just fallen into a troubled sleep.

Outside the city of Soo Chow
from the Han Shan Temple
The midnight bell sounds
and reaches the travelers boat.
--John Kelly