Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, QUARTER-MILE, by PHILLIP GRAY


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

QUARTER-MILE, by                    
First Line: The morning shouted gay young promises
Last Line: I swam another quarter-mile . . . You stayed . . .
Subject(s): Love; Swimming & Swimmers


The morning shouted gay young promises.
Swift lariats of light, like halos, made
Spun-golden circles for the tops of trees
To dance within; for music, white winds played.

The morning showered laughter on the lake,
And laughter on my sleek brown body too;
And on the rocks that had for beauty's sake
Shaped out a throne, leaf-canopied, for you.

Between your heart and mine, your mouth and mine,
A laughing quarter-mile of water spread . . .
I plunged . . . my blood was quickened as by wine . . .
My fingers reached for you . . . I swam ahead.

And as above the water's deep blue breast
I glided swiftly, straightly as a spear,
I thought how space by love may be compressed,
And how for all the distance you were near --

Nearer than water tangled in my hair,
Nearer than sunlight spinning in my eyes,
Nearer than on my face the playful air,
Nearer than shadows wanton on my thighs.

My body was a spear that love had shot
Across the quarter-mile of lake and air . . .
One last long stroke: I reached your bowered spot,
And cool and wet, I rested near you there.

Then beauty wrapped me round and humbled me.
My life lay folded in your depthless eyes:
And I was grateful we had come to be
So close to one another, lover-wise.

Then suddenly (yet how I do not know!)
With quick surprise like that of night's first star,
I was aware (impossible, but so!)
That you were far from me . . . oh very far!

I lay beside you but you were not near.
I watched the movement of a vagrant smile
As though you twitted me, "My body's here,
But I'm away . . . at least a quarter-mile."

The morning broke its promise . . . On the trees
Swift, yellow lariats of sunlight played . . .
The water laughed . . . I cared for none of these . . .
I swam another quarter-mile . . . You stayed . . .





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