1
Awash in contradictions
Tendenz toward the Romantic
the artisan's age—harrowed hand
deftly drew the road to Sieradz—
his winter traceries imposed upon
a small glassy globe
2
Orb—Ornament—World—
A thousand rime—sheathed trees
or Swarovski hands—
A hundred cobbled houses
or smoldering heads—
A half—dozen roadside shrines
or particolored spokes streaming
from a hub of gray thought—
A few cratefuls of apples
or autumn's orts—
Sprinkled throughout
with promising steeples
or statuary prayers—
3
O greedy fingers!
O bloodthirsty Saturn!
The pigeon's metronomic neck
is a snap—
The red geyser wouldn't stop—
Copyright © R.L. Swihart 2003
R L Swihart currently lives with his wife and two daughters in Long Beach, California. His double life finds him teaching math for money and chasing after Valery's "pure poetry" for sport. A few recent publishing credits include The Adirondack Review, Peshekee River, Left Bank Review's Echo Journal, and ZeBook Zine.
This poetry may not be archived or distributed further without
the author's express permission. Please read the license.
This electronic version of The Road to Sieradz is published
by The Richmond Review by arrangement with the author.
For rights information, contact The Richmond Review in the first instance
