Poetry — March 2, 2015 11:45 — 0 Comments

A Better Law of Gravity – Jim Brantingham

–taken from “A Member of the Wedding”
By Carson McCullers

 

Rain runs in rivers from the brim
Of a hopelessly soaked hat.
Water falls from his cardboard sign–
“Anything helps. God Bless.”

That plea, copied on so many
Brown and ragged box ends,
Could be dripping down
Any wet leaf in any green forest.

“A better law of gravity”
Would not let this trace
Of a human, this shadow,
Fall so far from the grace
Of a warm, dry room.

Bio:

Jim Brantingham has been publishing poetry, short stories and translations since 1969. More recently, he has been published in Crab Creek Review, ZYZZYVA and is a frequent contributor to The Monarch Review. He has published 3 short books through Seattle Small Books (On Ancient Paths, Ritter’s Crime and The Winnowing Fan) and is currently finishing a 4th book titled, Traveling Light. Two sons and two grandchildren light up his life.

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What am I?

Bioluminescent eye
That sees by the shine
Of its own light. Lies

Blind me. I am the seventh human sense
And my stepchild,
Consequence;

Scientists can't find me.

Januswise I make us men;
Glamour
Was my image then—

Remind me:

The awful fall up off all fours
From the forest
To the hours…

Tick, Tock: Divine me.

-- Richard Kenney

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