writing on stone with water

Posted in New Free Verse by

writing on stone with water
is an exercise of impermanence–
what is true and brought out
dissipates. what is written by water on stone
whether shaped with force or tenderness
unbecomes as fast as it becomes;
that first letter vanishes
as the last is painted

no matter how deep
that brush enters the well,
the words do not stay.
so.

without sound to carry it,
or paper to hold the stain
for other eyes

what would you write?

i would write
over and over
my own name

then maybe my mother’s
or my sister’s, my father’s.
and yours

until finally
the exercise is learned. what is written
in water cannot stay

and then
i would just write
yeses in a chain
that never become yes

but always almost yes
before they disappear

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24 thoughts on “writing on stone with water”

  2. Lovely as ever Susan – especially “no matter how deep
    that brush enters the well”
    I really should be working but I do love to read!
    Some days I would write ‘Hope’, and watch it fade
    Some days I would write ‘Sorrow’, it would fade the same

  3. Pingback: Sandscript – A Poem « ruleofstupid

  8. Hmmmm… watching you write with water, now there would be your Native American name, eh? Writes With Water.

    And so it does disappear from view – in the shorter term. Water, it works on a different scale. It shape shifts, it holds a longer life than more rigid stone, and in the end, it wears it down.

    Which means precisely nothing, unlike your words, but it sounded good in the commenting. ;-)

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