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If Bells, by Isaiah Silvers

7/5/2020

2 Comments

 
Picture
Six Persimmons, by Mu Ch'i Fa-Ch'ang (China) 13th century

If Bells
 
Last of
Fall’s partisans
are the persimmon trees who
suspend their weary gems on fog
lain fields,
 
and six
persimmons in
rooms closed to me ring
the blue-gray toll of all not on
display.
 
If bells,
they cut breaths then let each sounder
vanish, cast among their
shades as flint chips
on the
mountainsides--
dampened pink
up close, they fossilize
at each approach and clang. If fruit,
they fade.

Isaiah Silvers
​
Isaiah Silvers was born in Washington, D.C. He now teaches English in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.

2 Comments
Rebecca Ellis
7/6/2020 10:42:01 pm

Thank you for this gem. A gorgeous poem. I have re-read it a few times and it is fresh every time. This: "suspend their weary gems on fog /
lain fields," And those last two lines. Thank you.

Reply
Sam King (Cranberry)
8/15/2020 12:05:39 pm

This is a gorgeous poem, Isaiah. It was passed on to me by Janet Hook. Glad to hear you are in my favorite part of my favorite country. Would love to see more of your work.

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