|
from below
by Jim Benz
wood
crack sounds
covered in black
movement
up the hillside
night
through the forest
toward us
our ears
twitch
through underbrush
rustles and snapping
windfall
our eyes
strain
around fire
meeting
over dying flames
our lips
barely smile
in shadow dance
anticipation
blind
beyond
the circled stones
of human camp
an anxious
wonder
takes flight
on fire
lit flickers
and unknown
sound
breaks wood
in the wild silence
nonchalant
but closer yet
the footfall snaps
unhid
to ears
a vision of black
bear unperturbed
unvanquished
or moose slowly stepping
on the birch
twigs
and the undergrowth
bramble
snares
a blind
anticipation
wrapped in underfed
fear, dark
and dancing firelight
expectant
but uncertain
the night
crunches toward us
a stealthless
sound
brushing footfalls
through our shapeless
minds
a shadow of the moment
emergent
unfocused
in a brownish shape
crawled out
from beneath
the bush line
our eyes are pulled
to
the ground
and gray spike
spindled
porcupine
stops to stare
before she waddles back beneath
the forest brush
and night
08/12/2005 Posted on 08/12/2005
Copyright © 2024 Jim Benz
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Felicia Aguilar on 08/12/05 at 09:54 PM There is so much sound in this poem that I love. While reading this, I could hear all the "cracks, snapping, and rustles". Excellent job :) |
| Posted by Alison McKenzie on 09/10/05 at 09:38 PM I love the form of this. I read it several times, sometimes only reading the one-lined stanzas, which formed an entirely different perspective. |
|
