<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="65001"%> Compositions--Sam Stalos--Piano, Brass, Voice, Strings, Music, Visualization Classical Music, Visual Poetry-- Chariot Publishing.com

If Round
by Sam Stalos

Text of Poem


What good has any shape found?

    If round
    repeat the sound,
    On to on
    to on to on ...

    Until it stretches time inside the arc
    and catches every breath up to the next.
    Yours to mine,
    In to out to in to out ...

How does it move?

    Against the ground --

      A push,
      A shove,
      'til once connected
      makes the turning on its own.
      Momentum is the rolling
      crown to crown.

    Against the sky --

      With a twisted finger stretches down
      snagging clouds
      and passer's by.

      It folds and presses
      front to back,
      Squeezing circles flat.
      It binds them side to side
      as if they could circle
      to and fro.
      Compressing joy and wonderment
      dancing toe to toe.

So, how does it stop?

    Drop to a dot, down,
    Then spin again, up,
    Flare!

    Tear!

    Loud to loud!
    Out to out!

Can it break?

    A sort of stumble --
    Hard to catch.
    Clever trips --
    Hard to watch.

Where has it been?

    Around the mountin --
    Comin' slow, waitin' low.
    There's no hurry in the meetin.'
    No one's leavin' empty handed,
    'Cause we're taking what we sow.

The rounding starts to lengthen with a sound,
Filling gaps,
Flat to flat.
Until there is a bridge from still to still.

Quiet found.

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