Yesterday I was beset by a ton of work, much general busy-ness and the first migraine I've had in 5-6 years. Thus beleaguered, I asked you, dear readers, to suggest a poem for The Breaking Time's Friday tradition.
And you didn't let me down. I got a lot of good suggestions, many of which I'll use in weeks to come. Thank you all. One in particular, however, seemed just right, and I regret that I wasn't able to get it up until today.
So my special thanks to the wonderful, poetic and talented Vivacious G, who suggested this perfect piece from Billy Collins.
He used to frighten me in the nights
of childhood,
the wide adult face, enormous, stern, aloft
I could not imagine such loneliness, such coldness
But tonight as I drive home over
these hilly roads
I see him sinking behind stands of winter trees
And rising again to show his familiar face
And when he comes into full view
over open fields
he looks like a young man who has fallen in love
with the dark earth
a pale bachelor, well-groomed and
full of melancholy
his round mouth open
as if he had just broken into song.
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