‘He Takes Leave of the Sea’ and Other Poems

Reading Is on Your List of Chores

The world is wild and sad, you’re wild and sad
Daughter, and you want only, but you on-
ly want     to watch the shows you want
To watch, the worlds you want to watch, to be allowed
To not be     told the world
Is none of the worlds you’re watching, none
Of the any worlds that would allow     at an-
y moment you to rise and walk away, is none of the worlds you could

Turn from, your head away, by
Leaving it tame it, though it borrows wildness from your fear
And we have told you No
I have, your mother has,    Stay here
To read with us, that we will help you understand here, from which you can’t go
That understanding is not taming



He Takes Leave of the Sea

             Some work I left undone, angers, the sea
             That will not get a mention on my stone
...