THE STARS ABOVE, THE EARTH BELOW (Tu Fu)
By George Freek
Tonight the moon looks
like an ancient scholar
whose mind is unfulfilled.
A stunning cantata of stars
sing hymns over my bed,
but they also can’t tell me
what lies ahead.
As I look out my window,
a pigeon disappears
into the jaws of a darkening sky.
Clouds breathe like vagabonds,
who have traveled for years,
only to lose their way.
The night encloses me in its cocoon,
as the moon turns to clay.
I stare at it as at
some flower of stone,
which can never bloom,
but will not fade away.
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George Freek's poetry has appeared in numerous poetry journals and reviews, most recently The Ottawa Arts Review; Acumen; The Lake; Triggerfish; and Torrid Literature.