Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MONO LAKE, by JACOB ZEITLIN


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MONO LAKE, by                    
First Line: The black lines of hills chant a slow threnody
Last Line: And all the days dark days.
Alternate Author Name(s): Zeitlin, Jake
Subject(s): Mono Lake, California


The black lines of hills chant a slow threnody,
The black islands kneel before the seven bare craters,
The gun-steel water lies upon its bier of death.

Ask any question:
They will give you the last word—
The last answer.

When the craters spouted fire,
When the foothills were green against the snow-grey line of mountains,
When the baby lake nursed at the fresh-water breasts of the foothills
All questions got different answers,
All stories had different endings:
A cloudy morning could mean a sunny day or a dark one.

Now time has made all the answers the same answer
And all the endings the same ending
And all the days dark days.





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