When lime and silica find themselves
brick walls, they feel neither
torn from the community of earths
nor pride at their new standing. Only
the changed, rude attitude of gravity
and of their distant cousins wind and rain.
Stresses, however, cannot
distract from elemental, constant
worship. Nor will time revoke
its holy promise of eventual
nothing. Roots and vines
probe; a lawn, then weeds extend,
as inconsiderable as litter
or fire-traces on the brother soil.

/

Fred Pollack is the author of two book-length narrative poems, THE ADVENTURE and HAPPINESS, both published by Story Line Press, and a collection of shorter poems, A POVERTY OF WORDS, 2015 from Prolific Press. His work has appeared in Hudson Review, Salmagundi, Poetry Salzburg Review, Die Gazette (Munich), The Fish Anthology (Ireland), Representations, Magma (UK), Iota(UK), Bateau, Main Street Rag, Fulcrum, etc.  Online, poems have appeared in Big Bridge, Hamilton Stone Review, Diagram, BlazeVox, The New Hampshire  Review, Mudlark, Occupoetry, Faircloth Review, Triggerfish, etc. He is an adjunct professor of creative writing at George Washington University.