Listen
from The Stones Keep Watch, first published in Eastern Structures
Listen to the river-rock percussion tones. Who hears
the water-dervish swirling over stones? Who hears?
Tibetan prayer flags slap a fence pole,
soprano through the malleus bones. Who hears?
Kids on skateboards grind across a bridge.
A mallard quacks to her young clones. Who hears?
A van with studded snow-tires thunders past,
pounding rap through residential zones. Who hears?
When Rumi cries out, Shams— angels faint.
The far-flung void intones, Who hears?
The one who turns when someone calls out, John—
feels the question stirring in his bones, Who hears?
