A Poet on the Verge of Science: Morse Mt. Revisited

“Every Poet Trembles
on the Verge of Science”

quote from Thoreau's Journal July 1852
He rested on his oars. The boat,
still moving from the impulse of
his last stroke, slowed, then stopped.
He saw the scintered sunset light
through persisitent rain drops
hung from leaves of Pickerel Weed.
He saw each emergent plant stem
seem to bend as if creased
against the water's invisible edge.
He wanted to record the scene
in its isolate simplicity, not writing
inertia, surface tension, or diffraction,
but thoughts creep in unbidden
as he notes: stem of Ponterderia bent
by illusion--cohesive dropes--broken light.

A Poet on the Verge of Science

Friday, November 4, 2016

Morse Mt. Revisited

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