4/16/14
By Will Falk
I am looking for a pick-axe
a long one with a thick handle
one to chip my way
through the asphalt covering
everything
I want to hear crickets
tall grasses at my heels
the shift of sand
the suck of mud
starlight
this is what I think about
wandering San Diego at night
the stars, especially,
are quiet and dull
barely audible for the city-lights
there are no pick-axes
so I look for a dark place
a hole in the city
to fall on my knees
scraping them on glass
aluminum cans and
gum-covered concrete
to offer all this to the sky
where stars are said to shine
pouring their light downwards
but after hearing my confession
as I rise and head home
I think they might pull, too
like this
Will Falk
Will Falk moved to the West Coast from Milwaukee, WI where he was a public defender. His first passion is poetry and his work is an effort to record the way the land is speaking. He feels the largest and most pressing issue confronting us today is the destruction of natural communities. He received a Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Chapter, 2016 Journalism award. He is currently living in Utah.
Latest posts by Will Falk (see all)
- Time to Escalate? First-Ever Rights of Nature Lawsuit Dismissed - December 7, 2017
- The Rights of Nature and the Power of Law - October 18, 2017
- Why Does the Colorado River Need to Sue For Rights? - September 25, 2017
I know the feeling, Will Falk. Great poem.
Thanks Shelley! I hope you’re feeling peace.
I love you, Will. It’s comforting to see you, wonderful as ever.
I love you, too, Jorge. I miss you and hope you’re well.
Well put, Will :). Dig poem. Miss you.