Saturday, March 5, 2011

Constructing the Graveyard

Long past midnight they’re assembling it-
Shunting posts into shallow earth,
Filing down the gargoyle teeth,
Then stopping to turn up their thick collars.

Tonight they’re greasing the hinges of the front gate
With a grease that makes them squeak even more.
They’re stuffing a dead dog full of hayseed and twigs
To give it the impression of being accustomed to fear.

They’re carving faces on the trees-
Grotesque faces, with mismatched eyes.
And the ravens aren’t fooled: they keep right on
Congregating in the barren wheat field

Where the snow was falling
And the ravens kept respectfully silent,
Where the scarecrow was shuddering
Afraid his secret had been found out.

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