Bound Verse IV

Bound Verse

Sixty Poems by D.W. Bohn
Arranged in Ten Sextets

Sextet I Sextet II Sextet III Sextet V Sextet VI Sextet VII Sextet VIII Sextet IX Sextet X

Sextet IV

startle response

fish caught unaware
in disquieted waters
fearfully schooling

nature study 1

places like these
we call them quiet
just because
we haven't built
any houses in them
not yet anyway

we call these places quiet
even though the whirr of motion
is constant
and purposeful activity
is everywhere evident
it may escape notice
but it just does not abate
or at least
it hasn't been seen to abate
not yet anyway

it's to places just like these
where the pace of life
is so unrelentingly
murderously fast
and the very idea of leisure
is foreign
that people come
when they feel
the need
to relax

the horse tamer 2

in dreams she tames wild horses
the ordinary ones are immediately compliant
after she mounts them
even the fiercest bear her willingly
and soon become docile beneath her

leaning forward
she cleaves to their strong necks
as she rides
whispering comfort into their ears

they bond until it seems
as if the horse's head and neck
and flowing mane
have merged with hers

different water 2

we take great pains
to ford the river
at the exact same place
every time

but every time
the water is different

point arena

spit mixed with water
point arena playing yang
to the ocean's yin

finding beauty

locate true beauty
by showing someone something
you find beautiful

Š 1999, 2001 by D.W. Bohn

Sextet I Sextet II Sextet III Sextet V Sextet VI Sextet VII Sextet IX Sextet X

1 This poem also appears in the Dynamic Patterns Literary Webzine
Copyright Š1999

2 These poems also appear in the Featured Poet's section of Rick Lupert's Poetry Super Highway site

startle response fish caught unaware in disquieted waters fearfully schooling	nature study 1 places like these we call them quiet just because we haven't built any houses in them not yet anyway we call these places quiet even though the whirr of motion is constant and purposeful activity is everywhere evident it may escape notice but it just does not abate or at least it hasn't been seen to abate not yet anyway it's to places just like these where the pace of life is so unrelentingly murderously fast and the very idea of leisure is foreign that people come when they feel the need to relax
the horse tamer 2 in dreams she tames wild horses the ordinary ones are immediately compliant after she mounts them even the fiercest bear her willingly and soon become docile beneath her leaning forward she cleaves to their strong necks as she rides whispering comfort into their ears they bond until it seems as if the horse's head and neck and flowing mane have merged with hers
different water 2 we take great pains to ford the river at the exact same place every time but every time the water is different
point arena spit mixed with water point arena playing yang to the ocean's yin	finding beauty locate true beauty by showing someone something you find beautiful