After a Vermont Pond, 1977
Listen to Caroline Finkelstein reading this poem. When lust avenged itself by disappearing,
we were still sincere
and amenable and
wanted to continue,
meaning though we hadn't
lost one cardinal-feather's
weight of passion
our selves appeared,
the way coiled ferns do
in spring woods.
Brief months. Difficult, flickering shadow
of the self ascendant, airlight,
although we balanced
carefully on wetland planks.
This was the portrait
we tacked to our wall. We liked
our mastery, yes,
we liked posing ourselves
Caroline Finkelstein is the author of three poetry collections, Windows Facing East, Germany, and Justice. She lives in Westport, Mass.
Clickhere to visit Robert Pinsky's Favorite Poem Project site.To submit poetry to Slate, send up to five poems and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Robert Pinsky, Slate Magazine, Boston University, 236 Bay State Road, Boston, MA, 02215.