Charles Tomlinson(b. 1927)
The Picture of J.T. in a Prospect of Stone
W h a t s h o u l d o n e
wish a child
a n d that, one's o w n
e m e r g i n g
f r o m b e t w e e n
t h e s t o n e lips
of a sheep-stile3
t h a t divides
village graves
and village green
— W i s h h e r
t h e c o n s t a n c y of s t o n e .
— B u t s t o n e
is h a r d .
15 — S a y , r a t h e r
it resists
t h e slow corrosives
a n d t h e flight
of time
and yet it takes
the play, the fluency
from light.
— H o w would you know
the gift you'd give
was the gift
she'd wish to have
— G i f t is giving,
gift is meaning:
first
I'd give
then let her
live with it
to prove
its quality the better and
thus learn
to love
what (to begin with)
she might spurn.
—You'd
moralize a gift
—I'd have her
understand
the gift I gave her.
— A n d so she shall
but let her play
her i n n o c e n c e away
e m e r g i n g
as she does
between.
her d o o m (unknown),
her u n m o w n green.