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Published: Tue Oct 15 1974
Eva Lundsager, Were now like (detail), 2021, oil on canvas
August in the Blue Ridge

Grandmother tonight we sleep in your mountains
the men smoke their cigars
I know it is the whippoorwill who sings,
you have taught me

looking my way, the men say firelight plays against my face
in shadows
thinking of you, I am strangely singular
there is more to know than which bird calls in darkness
my heart leaps to many things,
is caught by very few

to stay in the forest I should know more than I do
the men say no, here is the sound of water and much dry wood
that is all we need until tomorrow
I spend myself as slowly as the last flames

your habits teach me to love careful things
an heirloom
how I listen to my heart unfold and fold again
I still undo a wrong stitch

See what's inside AGNI 3

Ellen Carter is now working as an Editorial Assistant on John Hopkins’ Alumni magazine. (updated 1976)

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