HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURA

TO THE POETS: TO MAKE MUCH OF LIFE

'come up now into
the world' no need to light

the lamps in daylight that passion
that light within

and without ( the old men were dancing

return
the return of the sun ) no need to light


lamps in the daylight working year
after
year the poem

discovered

in the crystal
center of the rock image

and image the transparent

present to we speak of the abyss
of the hungry we see their feet their tired

feet in the news and mountains and valley
and sea as in universal

storm
the fathers said we are old
we are shrivelled

come.



--George Oppen