October 28, 2011

Jerry Ball

Jerry Ball

a long line of cars
at Santa Rita Prison …
Easter morning rain
heat of afternoon
scrape of a workman’s shovel
against the pavement
a chilly night’s walk
I can see hollow spaces
as houselights go out
surrounded by fog
the sound of muffled footsteps
becomes a person
on a hill of weeds
a farmer and a whetstone
sharpening their scythe
a grape in each hand
conversation continues
to go in circles
a small child napping
beside toys in the sand pile
the afternoon shade …
A summer evening –
in the sunset I must move
whenever you  move
financial district
pairs of mirrored glasses
greeting each other
the fledgling’s first flight –
in spite of encouragement
it ends upside down
what at first
sounds like agony
cries of wild geese
in front of the line
he seems to be the head duck
in charge of pure water

All poems copyright by Jerry Ball. They may not be used for any purpose without explicit permission.