Black Ships

Black ships on the beaches of Troy
Njal’s family burning around him
Doomed raids on the old fortress
A rebel waltz bereft of joy
Manhattan has not fallen
Our weapons rust and tarnish
Gordon Kaufmann’s glorious temples
To the gods of concrete, dynamo, and steel
Crumble before our indecision
While we waver at the thought of return.

On old farms long given as bounties
We will not sit royally, not long.
Kale and cat-tail, nuts and berries
Sustain us once again
Come salmon, come seaweed
Always throng our streams
Always cover the beach by our place
Make us rich in the treasures of poverty
Bring the dance to life
Bring this life to the dance
While we admire the lovely dancer.

In the breaking dawn of this wintry day
Tired of talking the snow
Singing the hoar frost clinging to branches
Dazzling blue-white light leaped skyward
As I gazed, wonder-struck out the glass door
Leaped skyward and faded,
Came again and again
As the transformer shorted and burned on 
The lonely pole across the frozen wheatfield
My own personal supernova omen
Early morning apparition to warn 
Of the impending day, as white clouds
Cover the moon.

I’m tired of the cold, tired of feeling old
I’d rather write one of MacDiarmid’s
Long rambling plagiaristic rants
Copy pop song lyrics into a high school notebook
Make poetry slam witticisms, light as thistledown
Sentimental as the moon, piquant as dinner
In a trendy restaurant. 

Nothing holds us here among these
Camas-haunted wheatfields
Nothing but springtime’s biding,
Schoolbooks, and money.

I pray that our fleeing is not in winter, 
Not in summer’s heat, pedaling 
Borrowed bicycle far from water.
May we make our journey in springtime
Flowers springing around our feet
Dainties for the horses
Or in autumn’s crisp clean air
Resting under golden falling leaves
Weather perfect for walking.

Author: Duncan MacNae

Exiled Gael, scion of the Dust Bowl, dweller within Divine Grace, admirer of mountains, I have made my peace with trout and the starlings. Looking for a river and healing trees. duncanmacduncan5@gmail.com View all posts by Duncan MacNae