Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, DON'T THINK YOU KNOW MY NAME, by THOMAS MCGRATH


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

DON'T THINK YOU KNOW MY NAME, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: And so I am getting old
Last Line: And the fierce acids of winter are smoking in this cold heart
Subject(s): Riddles


And so I am getting old!
Like a tree in the forest
I am shedding branches and leaves, and around my feet
Are enough dry twigs for three English martyrs --
And every son-of-a-bitch wants to set me on fire. . . .

Not important of course. I'll have to walk out in the snow
In any case. Where else is there to turn?
So if you see me coming, a man made out of ice,
Splintering light like rainbows at every crazed joint of my body,
Better get out of the way: this black blood won't burn
And the fierce acids of winter are smoking in this cold heart.


Used with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA
98368-0271, www.cc.press.org




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