From An Atlas Of The Difficult World – The Poetry Monster

A poem by Adrienne Cecile Rich (1929 – 2012)

I know you are reading this poem

late, before leaving your office

of the one intense yellow lamp-spot and the darkening window

in the lassitude of a building faded to quiet

long after rush-hour. I know you are reading this poem

standing up in a bookstore far from the ocean

on a grey day of early spring, faint flakes driven

across the plains’ enormous spaces around you.

I know you are reading this poem

in a room where too much has happened for you to bear

where the bedclothes lie in stagnant coils on the bed

and the open valise speaks of flight

but you cannot leave yet. I know you are reading this poem

as the underground train loses momentum and before running

up the stairs

toward a new kind of love

your life has never allowed.

I know you are reading this poem by the light

of the television screen where soundless images jerk and slide

while you wait for the newscast from the intifada.

I know you are reading this poem in a waiting-room

of eyes met and unmeeting, of identity with strangers.

I know you are reading this poem by fluorescent light

in the boredom and fatigue of the young who are counted out,

count themselves out, at too early an age. I know

you are reading this poem through your failing sight, the thick

lens enlarging these letters beyond all meaning yet you read on

because even the alphabet is precious.

I know you are reading this poem as you pace beside the stove

warming milk, a crying child on your shoulder, a book in your

hand

because life is short and you too are thirsty.

I know you are reading this poem which is not in your language

guessing at some words while others keep you reading

and I want to know which words they are.

I know you are reading this poem listening for something, torn

between bitterness and hope

turning back once again to the task you cannot refuse.

I know you are reading this poem because there is nothing else

left to read

there where you have landed, stripped as you are.

Poetry Monster – Home

A few random poems:

External links

Bat’s Poetry Page – more poetry by Fledermaus

Talking Writing Monster’s Page –

Batty Writing – the bat’s idle chatter, thoughts, ideas and observations, all original, all fresh

Poems in English

To His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To Captain H—–d, of the 65th Regiment by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To A Lady On The Death Of The Three Relations by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To A Lady On The Death Of Her Husband by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To a Lady on Her Remarkable Preservation by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To a Lady on Her Coming to North-America by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To a Lady and Her Children by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To a Gentleman on His Voyage to Great-Britain by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To a Gentleman and Lady on the Death of the Lady’s Brother and Sister by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
To A Clergyman On The Death Of His Lady by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
Thoughts On The Works Of Providence by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
One Being Brought From Africa To America by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
On Virtue by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
On the Death of the Rev. Dr. Sewell by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
On The Death Of Rev. Mr. George Whitefield by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
On The Death Of J. C. An Infant by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
On The Death Of Dr. Samuel Marshall by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
On The Death Of A Young Lady Of Five Years Of Age by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
On the Death of a Young Gentleman by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley
On Recollection by Phillis Wheatley by Phillis Wheatley

More external links (open in a new tab):

Russian Commerce Agency

Dealing Monster

Doska or the Board – write anything

Search engines:

Yandex – the best search engine for searches in Russian (and the best overall image search engine, in any language, anywhere)

Qwant – the best search engine for searches in French, German as well as Romance and Germanic languages.

Ecosia – a search engine that supposedly… plants trees

Duckduckgo – the real alternative and a search engine that actually works. Without much censorship or partisan politics.

Yahoo– yes, it’s still around, amazingly, miraculously, incredibly, but now it seems to be powered by Bing.

Parallel Translations of Poetry

Poems by Author and Category

The Poetry Repository – an online library of poems, poetry, verse and poetic works

Adrienne Cecile Rich (1929 – 2012) was an American poet, essayist, and feminist.

Tagged 20, 21, aboutlove, Adrienne Rich, American, Americanpoetry, Americanpoets, Archie Randloph Ammons, contemporary, femalepoets, feminism, feminist, lesbian, modern, modern classics, nature, poetry, Rich, USA, woman, womenpoets, XI, XX