To Live In Language Poem by RIC BASTASA

it has been quite a time
and i question myself

why all these years i only
use

language?

my language has been a tree without leaves.

a house without roof, home for the rain.

a mountain without a trail, no man is coming for a visit.

all weeds, bushes,

i comfort myself sometimes with all the stars that hang
at night and despite the distance

i feel that i am so near them
and i may be crazy if i have to tell you that
the stars are talking to me


about heaven

that this place where i live now
is not what
is meant for me


and so i miss each night
finding romance and wisdom in its darkness