{ Wendy Cope: Postcards. }

Postcards
by Wendy Cope

At first I sent you a postcard
From every city I went to.
Grüsse aus Bath, aus Birmingham,
Aus Rotterdam, aus Tel Aviv.
Mit Liebe. Cards from you arrived
In English, with many commas.
Hope, you're fine and still alive,
Says one from Hong Kong. By that time
We weren't writing quite as often.

Now we're nearly nine years away
From the lake and the blue mountains,
And the room with the balcony,
But the heat and light of those days
Can reach this far from time to time.
Your latest was from Senegal,
Mine from Helsinki. I don't know
If we'll meet again. Be happy.
If you hear this, send a postcard.

{ Jen Bervin: You Were Vast Unto Others. }

You Were Vast Unto Others
by Jen Bervin

date the paper -- it's your early work --
date the space -- it's late --
write -- be late with you --

write to get lost in the day -- get
the time from friends -- make them a
memorable meal and forget what you made
-- write -- we are tasting new peaches
-- all the time -- write you waste
nothing -- write nothing is wasted on
you --

write this time of the animals -- the space
of the animals -- write the dog who
stands on your foot and leans in -- write
how you lean in -- when you love --
write the gentleness there --

write what you said to me -- how far
you went away from yourself -- when you
stopped -- noticing -- write you lost
your way for a reason -- write how --
you come back -- how your body was not
made to do this -- with you in it --
write stay in it -- a little longer --
write what died for this space -- and
only what will live in it --

tell me where you've been necessary --
the memory in the snow-- the river
in light -- write you flow -- humanly --

write the precise points that touch
the rivers of energy in the body --
enter them -- and tell me -- if they are
still wet -- tell me -- where they've been
-- tell me -- who touched you all winter --
tell me who -- you'll remember -- in
spring --

write where you were chosen -- when you
were chosen -- write -- what calmness
was chosen in you -- write it on your
hand -- write -- you are not too old to
write on your hand -- write -- there's
still space there -- and you have been
in it --

how you unsettle me -- how you go
infinite -- how you come back --

write how our nature's getting a lot
done -- how the air gets fresh all over
us -- write what tender leaves are back
-- how they tassle and sway -- write you
are spring -- write -- you-- are
impossible --

write how you slouch over flowers and
mend things -- write -- you can't
remember what you planted -- but that
you're certain some of them are
volunteers -- write today -- even the
garbage smells good -- write it's
spring -- new york -- and you're not
done with me yet --

write -- how you spill everything today --
feel listless and berate yourself --
write -- leave yourself alone -- write
you are the laziest girl in town -- be
that girl -- once in a while -- write
it was once plants and horses here --
write what you awoke to -- the feeling
inside the thing you made -- how you were
happy there -- write -- be there

write the day -- you were here --
write the day you were most yourself
-- write-- I can thank you for that --
write you went the beautiful way --
you made time -- you knew how to get
things done and it touched everyone
here at least once --

write how your friend's yard -- contains
a tulip tree -- that looks like a
voluptuous girl falling out of a pink
dress -- write she said that -- and it
pleased you -- write how easy it is --
to do that -- write how you love your
friends -- and what they think --
to say -- write that's you in the corner
pale green and fragrant -- write your
friend said that -- about a girl named
melanie -- write how he included you --
how you are -- in the world --

write the dog -- pausing to shake --
the girl leaning in to smell that page
--the library -- the river in light --
what you're choosing --the view from
the window -- every window -- you are
choosing-- now

write the body of the house shines
around the house -- and you my friend --
were beyond --
you were ballast --
you were vast unto others --