Stand again at the old well-lip As one half-sleeping might And drop a stone among those images That lay hid in the night. 5 When still a boy at the water's edge Cold with terror at the dark; The light was like a fish's hide That floated back to me. And drop a stone among those images 10 That lay hid in the night. What has escaped the breath In hated words or curses, now rescind And let an older beneficence begin; Call that harshness in. 15 When driven to that edge of speech The tongue half out of the head Recall what purpose pleased you best When time had not yet begun. And drop a stone among those images 20 That lay hid in the night. At gasping dawn a boy again Swears all breaking light's a game And climbs before the mounting sky To catch a dreaming fish 25 While the water's high. So sound out the plummet-depth With some stray rock or cocked ear do it Or hearth-stone out of pocket; But drop a stone among those images 30 That lay hid in the night.
From the collection "Red Bank"
Written by Gregg Glory [Gregg G. Brown]
More information available on gregglory.com.