Friday, June 15, 2012

Hang History


Jean-Francois de la Motte

Hang History
©2012 Susan Noyes Anderson

Hang history upon the wall.
Observe it from afar.
Squint first one eye and then
the next, the next...

(Oops, scratch that.
Eyes come two by two.)

Tilt carefully your head
from side to side (think owl)…
up-down, back-forth, above and
most of all, below. Be sure. Be-leave
no vantage point untried.

Read slowly and between the lines.
No, skim them quickly first to
catch the context ere you
swim the tide of truth. The past
is perilous at best.

Make of it what you will, but still
be leery; those who read tea leaves
may not escape the patterned
fates they cast. A mask awaits,
hangs on the wall. Beware.
Don’t wear it.

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8 comments:

Unknown said...

"first to catch the context ere you swim the tide of truth."

love it

Brian Miller said...

nice....history is a great lesson but we cant relive it...or let it hold us back...

Gail said...

Just when I think the last one was the best ever, you write another!

LeAnn said...

I do love to read those poems that make me think. Enlightened by this one. You talent is amazing.

Grandma Honey said...

"Be ware. Don't wear it."...I like that! The past is the past but we shouldn't bring it with us. Good writing Sue!

Helena said...

Moving on is the best we can do. I loved this little read - set me thinking a lot it did!

Tess Kincaid said...

Great write...I like the mask angle...

Other Mary said...

Wise words...and I love the bit about the eyes coming in twos! I always like it when we don't take ourselves too seriously.