Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DIFFERENT DAY, by GRACE HAZARD CONKLING


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DIFFERENT DAY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: I wonder if the hawk knew
Last Line: And darkness golden!
Subject(s): Volcanoes


I WONDER if the hawk knew
Morning was different?
He stood so long below the sun
With the blue reins of the horizon
In his beak.

There was a vireo
Hid in the hair of the mountain-side.
I can recall his tuneless warble
Because it wrote itself on oak-leaves
Encrusted with gold of noon.
Always I see its monotony
Shining,
Curved like words of water
Over a bright ledge. . . .

Afternoon tossed a storm over the mountain,
Lost it in the valley.
A chickadee hung by one claw
Defying the probable . . .

What was there in the day
Made us so still?
The mountain held us under clouds like sails.
There was spray on the wind . . . spray on the inland
wind. . .
Or was it fire?
Did you feel the heave of the earth, did you see flame
Along the wind at sundown?
Did you remember strangeness
We had lived before?

Oh love, my love,
Now at last with you
I can wonder:
Now with you I can dream.
Now wild earth flying
Pours me mist of suns
And darkness golden!




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