At the Dark Crossing

[David W. Parsley]

At the Dark Crossing

The crossing again, and the far shore 
grown dark, stones cool and unfathoming
in the bleaching water.  And,
though not yet night, it comes – the fear

that none of the lights beyond seeing
is home.  They beckon.  True lights or no,
they call across the scant ladder of boulders
glowing in the gap like stranded moons.

Quiet steps down through the maples,
the stream moves by like a shadow.
(How delicately the flesh is razed
by a glacier of sky!)

And if tonight instead of turning aside
I chose to step out to those stones
inviting blackness to come in the spare
language of stars without constellation

I could not expect but that the world would
halt until I cross hesitant, forgetting which
bank I stepped from, which I had feared
to trust, which I had feared to refuse.

 

 

Winner Academy of American Poets, Undergraduate Award, U of Utah, 1982
David W Parsley ~ Rattle Poetry Reading Series - YouTube
© 2015 David W. Parsley
Parsley Poetry Collection

 

 

[dr_con]

Wow David. Wow. Thanks for this, restores my faith in good poetry.

 

Much appreciation.

Juris

[badger11]

Very impressive Dave (including the reading). I guess only the gods have clarity in choice! Love the humanity of that hesitation. You have taken iconic images and made them fresh.

Bw

Phil

[David W. Parsley]

Hi Doc, very gratifying response!

Thanks,
- David

[David W. Parsley]

Thanks for the appreciative insights, Phil.  The reading was part of the open mic portion of the Rattle Reading Series in La Canada Flintridge, CA.  It was a 45-minute drive each way from Palos Verdes, but it was great!

 - Dave

[Tinker]

Dave, This has me studdering in anticipation.  My pulse flutters as I step off into the darkness.  The imagery, the journey, the hesitation, build until my heart is in my throat.   This is writing I can only wish for.  

~~Judi

[Terry A]

A masterful poem. The images live through nature entwining and reflecting inner introspection. Showing the depths thought can reach in consideration and the almost irresistible pull into discovery, and the hesitation regarding the unknown. A very poignant point made about how time (the world would halt) does seem to stop, seems to arrest its usual, given moments so intense.

I think of death, or experience that changes everything, and how haltingly one might go consciously towards it, in contemplation. With so much beauty. Very powerful writing.

[David W. Parsley]

Tinker, Terry, thanks so much for your glowing words of admiration and resonance.  This is the kind of response that every poet yearns to hear.

Much Appreciated,
- David

[JoelJosol]

On top of what everyone said, I love the alliteration here

"I chose to step out to those stones"

[David W. Parsley]

Hi Joel, apologies for this tardy response.  I really enjoyed this insight from a fellow poet sensitive to the way words sound.  It is part of the joy of discovering the sonic possibilities of a poem as it is being composed, part of learning for oneself how the poem shapes itself and means.  I followed this particular chain of alliterated utterance through chose-step-stones-spare-stars-constellation.  Such occurrence is a revelation for both writer and reader!  With all the other things at work in the piece, I'm still working to grasp the totality of this one construct.  Once a person realizes they are a poet and have touched a Thing like this, how could they ever stop writing?

Thank You,
 - Dave