Though I Know I Cannot Shake The Clouds Poem by umashankar manthravadi

Though I know I cannot shake the clouds in
the hollow cave I count each revolving
nail in the sky each stab of light that breaks
the wall. In the bitter yellow sky of
the early afternoon a grave new star

breaks through the clouds bleakly watches the dry
pollen fields of a world rolling downhill.
I cannot shake clouds in this fabled world
or climb green scampering beans to thunder.
I do not have to feel to affirm each

time the knobbed shaft breaks. How did I come here
brown mouse lost in bright skin? My world is my
punishment for letting a dry seed grow
into this forest of signposts. An image
of the knobbed sky built of eyeless words.


December 7,1973