Blake District

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

What Wordsworth felt about the rocks is just

About as crucial as the way that they

Regarded him.  If they cried out in dust

About the lakes and hills, now that would say

Much more important stuff than William said.

The Japanese believe that stones have souls

(Or something quite like that), or souls outspread

Much wider than his prosy verse.  His scrolls

Go on and on, unbearable.  Be glad

That you will never have to understand

What rocks might have to speak, and don’t be sad

That you will never know his mind, how bland.

    It’s good such mysteries are kept so far

     Away from us.  Their thoughts would seem bizarre.