Tuesday Poem

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A Blade of Grass
Brian Patten

…………………
You ask for a poem.Image_blade_of_grass

I offer you a blade of grass.

You say it is not good enough.

You ask for a poem.

…………………

I say this blade of grass will do.

It has dressed itself in frost,

It is more immediate

Than any image of my making.

…………………

You say it is not a poem,

It is a blade of grass and grass

Is not quite good enough.

I offer you a blade of grass.

…………………

You are indignant.

You say it is too easy to offer grass.

It is absurd.

Anyone can offer a blade of grass.

…………………

You ask for a poem.

And so I write you a tragedy about

How a blade of grass

Becomes more and more difficult to offer,

…………………

And about how as you grow older

A blade of grass

Becomes more difficult to accept.


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