Two Poems

THE MIND, THAT OCEAN-

Marvelling at notions that up-end our view
through nature: show an upright city grew
reflected in canals-there hung to dry
suspended from black clogs that trod the sky;

How every smut that smogged away the heaven
had kerchiefed mate, trudging to mass at seven;

how camera obscura clarifies
with mirror image; every civic muddle
is flatly contradicted in a puddle-
nature's facility for quick replies,

like authors meeting books they wrote on shelves,
we find, at length, reflections of ourselves;
love's bait is swallowed by our counterpart,
deep wells hide all of us below the heart.

Tried by resemblances, our pride deplores
...