And you stand facing me
woman,
your hands cupping some anemic earth
and crying

"I planted a seed only this morning
and nothing has grown.
I wanted a great and bright tree
strong with blossoms, then fruit -
and nothing has grown!"

There are miracles
I suppose
that explode across the sky in fire
with billows of smoke
in a single instant -

But time has shown me that
instant miracles last just that long

and are gone

in a puff of talcum powder
as though a drunken magician
made his tired rabbit
disappear.

Slight of hand,
fakery,
entertaining enough,
but riddled with fraud.

But you stand facing me
frantic woman,
your hands clutching some anemic earth

wanting a shout

when a whisper will do.

***********************************************************************************************

Larry Thoren is one of the best poets I have ever read. He is genuine, intense, concise, succinct, rhythmical, cynical, street-wise, insightful, incisive, funny, visual, prophetic, poignant, personal, political, but never pretentious. He is the most unaffected person I know. He is who he is. And his words are unforgettable. I am proud to share them with you.

Some of his poetry can be found here at the poetry site in the weeks to come. You may find his most recent work, "Jimmy and the Runaway," in Austin, Texas at BookPeople and Resistencia. It took years before he could bring himself to sell his books - it's about time he could earn enough to continue writing. Larry calls himself "the village carpenter." He works wood. With his hands and heart.

His words have been wrought in much the same manner.

Thanks for listening.

betty