Meiji Metal Vase, by Tricia Knoll

Antique Vase, Meiji period (Japan) late 19th century

Meiji Metal Vase 
 
Isn’t this the way loneliness displays –
as old bronze under patinas, layered
metals that imitate the grain of hardwood,
a technique carried over from sword making?
A unicorn handle, one replaced 
by a craftswoman in a small shop in the belly
of New York. This is not a vessel to scrub,
time-worn is its beauty as I come to see
that the birds will always hover, looking
at the bloom and gold leaves just 
out of reach – and the mouth will always
open to the green stems of seasons.  

Tricia Knoll

Tricia Knoll lives alone in a Vermont woods. She loves horses and wishes for unicorns. Her work is widely available online and in anthologies. Website: triciaknoll.com