Wood & Mirrors
for Antonius Roberts

i.
these are trees the rain has grown
these are the seeds, nature,
her brothers and sisters have sown

the grain, the veins the water made
xylem and phloem
and up to all the limbs and leaves
little, tiny palms, open to sunshine

what he does with wood
wood does with him

with grain in wood, he draws
what wood has to say
is what he has to say
are the remarks he makes

knot in wood, knot in rope
ball of rope on a ship or a boat

knot for the neck of one
not deserving to live
drop through trap door
necktie to hang in
to hang from until dead

what is a dead man doing
hanging, with his tongue hanging out
in our living room
hanging around about
our pretty expensive furniture

what in the woods- in the world
have these trees seen
what scenes have they witnessed

are they blind
could they feel or fear
sense or smell
could they hear

what events in history
along the way to nationhood

art to bring out-
aught to bring out
the worse
as well as the best in us
tell the truth,
cover nothing up

ii
weight of wood
to have to lift, to have to drift

a craft across rough seas
sail alone to depend upon

ancient times
before the tide of what is modern
more convenient
washed up, washed in
washed us up

for Columbus to have done
what he did in 1492

what all was he without
what were his limitations

what allowed him-
enabled him
along with courage
to do what he did
to get where he got


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2011
Written on Friday, January 28, 2011
between 3:40 p.m. and 4:16 p.m.