Readers at the March, 2010 Rattle-Read
as the Snake salutes Poems-for-All:
(from left to right) Kevin Jones, Richard Hansen, Martha Ann Blackman,
Kathy Kieth, Frank Andrick, Ann Menebroker, Joyce Odam,
Taylor Graham, Bill Gainer
(Photo by Katy Brown)
FLOWERS AND TALL-STALKED GRASSES
—Ivan Bunin
Flowers, and tall-stalked grasses, and a bee,
and azure, blaze of the meridian...
The time will come, the Lord will ask his prodigal son:
"In your life on earth, were you happy?"
And I'll forget it all, only remembering those
meadow paths among tall spears of grass,
and clasped against the knees of mercy I
will not respond, choked off by tears of joy.
(Translated from the Russian by David Curzon and Vladislav L. Gucrassev)
___________________
—Medusa (closing off Earth Week by giving thanks for all creatures—not the least of which are, of course, The Poets...)