Raise the Hammer
A selection of poetry by Jeffrey Stewart.
By Jeffrey Stewart
Published April 10, 2007
THOUGH I HAVE
no tears
or remembrance
of death
my heart is
still burdened
by the lures
of desire
But I am
not afraid
of the bruise
still visible
I am afraid
for you
in your happiness
for you
in your loneliness
I plant
a kiss
on the cheek
of loneliness
DEVIL TONGUE
The human tongue
lulled to sleep
is like a torch
in the mouth
waiting to burn.
-And if you could
lick my heart
the flame would
be extinguished
by poison.
MAYAKOVKSY IMITATION
It is past one o'clock. Most likely you are asleep.
The Milky Way flashes silver through the night.
I am in no hurry. There is no point
To stir or trouble you with lightning telegrams.
As they say, the incident is over.
Love's vessel has crashed against our daily lives.
The two of us are through. Why bother then
To balance the mutual waste and sorrow?
Behold what peace has settled on the world.
Night fills the sky with a starry tribute.
At such an hour one rises to converse
With centuries, history and all creation.
INSPIRED BY AN EPISODE IN HESIOD
Songs written with God's fingers---
Secret understandings, pulsating,
Caught up in the wings of an angel...
Hold together what has been shattered.
A lesser power that is given to us.
Do not waste it.
THOUGHTS OF LI PO FROM THE SKY'S END
A cold wind blows from the sky's end -
how are things with you, my old friend?
Will the wild geese arrive with speed
now that the rivers and lakes are flooded?
Prosperity: a man of words should beware...
dead spirits can catch him by the coattail!
Perhaps you have joined the wronged
spirit of Chu Yuan by this time.
So I will dedicate this poem -
where he threw himself in the Milo River.
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