Belong To

1954 –

See the pair of us
                              Raining and morning

the first soft ashes
                              along the high road

running the far ridge
                              of pines ripped wild to

timbers by storming
                              to shreds see the white

shreds like coals like a
                              sudden sorrow see

the partial moon see
                              the cut sky see us

serene with singing
                              are we merry are

we rueful neither
                              is there sufficient

wording for what falls
                              all the muffled horns

pleading but too late
                              along the last route

of what remains can
                              you see us what can

you see there—lost leaves
                              waiting to come back

as leaves . . .

Gravel

Weed-wrack and wild grape
hanging from the dusty trees
that touch above the narrow road.
I’m driving my way back

David Baker

2019

Air Of

—then lightly rubs the
inside of her wrist

to wrist the flower
fullness the furrows

like heirloom roses
or attar crushed from

weapons thrown aside
the century gone

as though bound now in
not shame not shyness

David Baker

2019

Storm Psalm

Dear darkness. Dear where we bow our heads in disbelief.
     Dear disbelief, hardly bow our heads and
hardly speak, so we sing, such words as darkness
     shows us how on days on end. So I sing it is
not hopeless. Hurry hurry. Nor faithless—to stand
     without faith, keeping open—. Now another
so they say, thus the trees utterly are still, and the wind is,
     and what wings there are utterly still in limbs
darkened above the barn. Bow down, for this darkness
     now above cedars. Smell of mint and tincture of

David Baker

2018

Poems

Belong To

More by this poet

Gravel

Air Of

Storm Psalm

Poems

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Belong To

More by this poet

Gravel

Air Of

Storm Psalm

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