A Blade of Grass by Brian Patten

[louiselux]

You ask for a poem.
I offer you a blade of grass.
You say it is not good enough.
You ask for a poem.

I say this blade of grass will do.
It has dressed itself in frost,
It is more immediate
Than any image of my making.

You say it is not a poem,
It is a blade of grass and grass
Is not quite good enough.
I offer you a blade of grass.

You are indignant.
You say it is too easy to offer grass.
It is absurd.
Anyone can offer a blade of grass.

You ask for a poem.
And so I write you a tragedy about
How a blade of grass
Becomes more and more difficult to offer,

And about how as you grow older
A blade of grass
Becomes more difficult to accept.

        -- Brian Patten


Via biichan, to cybele_san to me: When you see this, post a bit of poetry in your own journal.

Comments

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

Oh, I've always loved that poem. And Brian Patten, generally.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Yes, he's wonderful! And often heartbreaking.