Tattoo
What once was meant to be a statement—
a dripping dagger held in the fist
of a shuddering heart—is now just a bruise
on a bony old shoulder, the spot
where vanity once punched him hard
and the ache lingered on. He looks like
someone you had to reckon with,
strong as a stallion, fast and ornery,
but on this chilly morning, as he walks
between the tables at a yard sale
with the sleeves of his tight black T-shirt
rolled up to show us who he was,
he is only another old man, picking up
broken tools and putting them back,
his heart gone soft and blue with stories.
from Delights & Shadows, Copper Canyon Press, Port Townsend, WA 2004
Ted Kooser
pedestrians
Originally uploaded by maxivida.
1 comment:
Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live. See the link below for more info.
#gone
www.matreyastudios.com
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