Strange Man

After Jorge Eduardo Eielson 

How far can that strange man go
with bird feet, failing eyesight,
and a cane that is liable to break
in half at any time? He is turning
the corner at a leisurely pace.
Snails leave him in the dust. He
is twice, thrice times slower than
slow motion. Day turns to night
and the strange man lumbers on.
His cane miraculously bends but
does not break. Thin and fragile,
the strange man and his cane
has turned the corner.

*

Eventually 

Eventually, you will get 
to the bottom of me.
My shrunken heart, hidden 
under a grain of rice.
You will find me with the moth,
a family of them, drawn
to the light. I will be found
somewhere in Asia.
If you want to know, I will
be there in search of
the footsteps of ancient
poets, Li Po, Tu Fu, to 
draw inspiration. Still
as a birch tree I will be.
I will pay homage to
those who held their own,
whose names stood against
the test of time. I will
acknowledge the people 
who came before me,
who painted on cave walls 
before school eventually 
ruined everything.

*


One of the Many Birds 

I find you in the branches
of the dark tree,
just one of many birds,
just one of the night singers.
You are the neighbors 
I want at my grave
singing my eulogy
and my lullaby to ease
my ghost self into sleep.