TAKE SKY

Take Sky

by David McCord

Now think of words. Take sky
and ask yourself just why-
like sun, moon, star, and cloud-
it sounds so well out loud,
and pleases so the sight
when printed black on white.
Take syllable and thimble:
the sound of them is nimble.
Take bucket, spring and dip
cold water to your lip.
Take balsam, fir and pine:
your woodland smell and mine.
Take kindle, blaze and flicker-
what lights the hearth fire quicker?

Three words we fear but form:
gale, twister, thunderstorm;
others that simply shake
are tremble, temblor, quake.
But granite, stone, and rock:
too solid, they, to shock.
Put honey, bee, and flower
with sunny, shade, and shower;
put wild with bird and wing,
put bird with song and sing.
Aren’t paddle, trail, and camp
the cabin and the lamp?
Now look at words of rest-
sleep, quiet, calm, and blest;
at words we learn in youth-
grace, skill, ambition, truth;
at words of lifelong need-
grit, courage, strength, and deed;
deep-rooted words that say
love, hope, dream, yearn, and pray;
light-hearted words- girl, boy,
live, laugh, play, share, enjoy.
October, April, June-
Come late and gone too soon.
Remember, words are life:
child, husband, mother, wife;
remember, and when I’m done:
words taken one by one
are poems as they stand-
shore, beacon, harbor, land;
brook, river, mountain, vale,
crow, rabbit, otter, quail;
faith, freedom, water, snow,
wind, weather, flood, and floe.
Like light across the lawn
are morning, sea, and dawn;
words of the green earth growing-
seed, soil, and farmer sowing.
Like wind upon the mouth
sad, summer, rain, and south.
Amen. Put not asunder
man’s first word: wonder…wonder…

Copyright © 1961, 1962, by David McCord. From Take Sky by David McCord.

Copyright © 2007, "Clouds" by Tauhhid.