Poetry Stop II

Another poem while we wait for Godot, courtesy of Panhala this morning.

Proverbios y Cantares XXIX by Antonio Machado
(translated by A. Trueblood)

Wayfarer, the only way
is your footsteps,
there is no other.

Wayfarer, there is no way,
you make the way by walking.
As you go, you make the way
and stopping to look behind,
you see the path that your feet
will never travel again.

Wayfarer, there is no way -
Only foam trails to the sea.

~ Antonio Machado ~

(Translated by A. Trueblood)

UU-Jester's Poetry Stop

Well, hello there.
It's been a while.
Sorry about that.
The hat and bells were at the laundry, I'm afraid.

While we wait for them to dry, perhaps I could regale you with a poem.
This one has been on my mind a lot lately.

Riding Lesson by Henry Taylor

I learned two things
from an early riding teacher.
He held a nervous filly in one hand
and gestured with the other,
saying "Listen.
Keep one leg on one side,
the other leg on the other side,
and your mind in the middle."

He turned and mounted.
She took two steps,
then left the ground,
I thought for good.
But she came back down hard,
humped her back,
swallowed her neck,
and threw her rider as you'd throw a rock.

He rose, brushed his pants and caught his breath,
and said, "See that's the way to do it.
When you see they're gonna throw you,
get off."