Tuesday, May 8, 2018

LI-YOUNG LEE ~








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Sandalwood


The ash keeps dropping from the incense stick.



I keep turning you over in my mind.

I keep turning you over in my heart.



The stick shortens, burning.

The ash grows

and falls.



I keep turning you over.

I keep turning you.

I keep turning.



The ash keeps falling, piling up, more

of the silent reduction.

Burning earns such clean wages,

eye of ember, eye of ash hastening.



I keep turning your eyes over

to find your thoughts.

Turning your voice over

to find your meaning.

Turning your body over to find

a place to hide me.



And you keep turning inside me.



—————————
Li-Young Lee
The Undressing
Norton 2018