THE WHITMAN ISSUE

John Clarke

 

WALT & EM WED

.............the dalliance of the eagles,
..........The rushing amorous contact high in space together.

....................-Walt Whitman

..........Rowing in Eden!
..........Ah! The sea!
..........Might I but moor
..........To-night in thee!

.....................-Emily Dickinson


...And through the wild night
explore each other’s throb–
surprised more by their own.

(O the touch, tastes,
a dark container can contain!)

*

Below, the guests mull over wine and tasties.
Liz C. Stanton beams, notes to Susie B. how
old Walt may learn a thing or more tonight
about a woman’s desires and topography.

Ralph and Hank trade insights – pace
about the dining room, porch, and ‘round
the house – ‘til they give in to deep plush
parlor chairs. When the wine runs out
their miracle’s to hook up with Nat
and get soused on Herm’s grog.

Imp Abe, openly dishonest now and loving it,
prances with Amherst’s spectral crowd –
with lovely see-through maids he chimes,
startling guests with taps on pane, goblet, chandelier...

*

On through the night two Oceans fly above –
pond by pond, creek by creek in creaking bed

Lake by lake, stream by stream – rush
Of tandem rivers toward twin bays –
Sea calls to sea, they meet as waves, salt
Tears of continents merge and feel

the unseen flower bloom –
soar by night, moor lost at sea

 

 

John Clarke lives in Maryland and works at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. He contributed poems to an earlier issue of Beltway guest edited by Merrill Leffler. He hopes to retire soon to pursue unacknowledged legislative activities worldwide.

Read more poems by John Clarke