Salvation
Finally, I gave up on obeisance,
and refused to welcome
either retribution or the tease
of sunny days. As for the can't-be-
seen, the sum-of-all-details,
the One -- oh, when it came
to salvation I was only sure
I needed to be spared
someone else's version of it.
The small prayers I devised
had in them the hard sounds
of split and frost.
I wanted them to speak
as if it made sense to speak
to what isn't there
in the beaconless dark.
I wanted them to startle
by how little they asked.
Finally, I gave up on obeisance,
and refused to welcome
either retribution or the tease
of sunny days. As for the can't-be-
seen, the sum-of-all-details,
the One -- oh, when it came
to salvation I was only sure
I needed to be spared
someone else's version of it.
The small prayers I devised
had in them the hard sounds
of split and frost.
I wanted them to speak
as if it made sense to speak
to what isn't there
in the beaconless dark.
I wanted them to startle
by how little they asked.
STEPHEN DUNN is the author of thirteen collections of poetry,
including Different Hours (W.W. Norton, 2000), winner of the 2001
Pulitzer Prize. His most recent book is The Insistence of Beauty (W.W.
Norton, 2004).) He lives in western Maryland. This poem appeared in
the November 2005 issue of Poetry.
including Different Hours (W.W. Norton, 2000), winner of the 2001
Pulitzer Prize. His most recent book is The Insistence of Beauty (W.W.
Norton, 2004).) He lives in western Maryland. This poem appeared in
the November 2005 issue of Poetry.
photo by Carol Von Canon