Saturday's Poem: Often I Imagine the Earth

flying home

This beautiful poem by my friend Dan Gerber first appeared in Poetry, 2010.

OFTEN I IMAGINE THE EARTH    by Dan Gerber

Often I imagine the earth
through the eyes of the atoms we’re made of—
atoms, peculiar
atoms everywhere—
no me, no you, no opinions,
no beginning, no middle, no end,
soaring together like those
ancient Chinese birds
hatched miraculously with only one wing,
helping each other fly home.

If I could split into millions of selves,

I'd scatter them all on the peaks to gaze home.

Liu Zongyaun 773-819

PoetrycynthiaDan Gerber, Often I Imagine, helping each otherComment