Natural Colors
September 1977
This is a time
Not of renewal but of sight.
A sudden realization of sensation:
the wonder and awe in a child's expression
discovering the red enameled stove.
Of sentience beyond the physical,
larger than oneself:
the implacability of height,
or one word on another perfect
beyond reason or time, this:
escaping emotion, an unrelated immolation.
Sentience past the physical-
greater than the sum of.
On the other side of ecstasy - fear and awe:
the belly of that ancient rumbling horse - invention.
The lurking doubt held,
in its time of abeyance-
held in trust,
like a loan on shaky collateral--
for the discordant rhythms
of spring (that ultimate remainder of death)
that will come:
merely restrained (not denied)
an infinitesimal of time
by a miasma of tissue like
the plaintive crying of a child in the dark;
that will
to free ourselves and become
more than a minute whorl of time:
the tomb and the sanctuary
expanding into natural colors
beyond consciousness.
Los Angeles
September, 1977
Los Angeles Series
©1977 Natural Colors September 1977 — Joseph W. Yarbrough
Reproduction prohibited without written permission.
Not of renewal but of sight.
A sudden realization of sensation:
the wonder and awe in a child's expression
discovering the red enameled stove.
Of sentience beyond the physical,
larger than oneself:
the implacability of height,
or one word on another perfect
beyond reason or time, this:
escaping emotion, an unrelated immolation.
Sentience past the physical-
greater than the sum of.
On the other side of ecstasy - fear and awe:
the belly of that ancient rumbling horse - invention.
The lurking doubt held,
in its time of abeyance-
held in trust,
like a loan on shaky collateral--
for the discordant rhythms
of spring (that ultimate remainder of death)
that will come:
merely restrained (not denied)
an infinitesimal of time
by a miasma of tissue like
the plaintive crying of a child in the dark;
that will
to free ourselves and become
more than a minute whorl of time:
the tomb and the sanctuary
expanding into natural colors
beyond consciousness.
Los Angeles
September, 1977
Los Angeles Series
©1977 Natural Colors September 1977 — Joseph W. Yarbrough
Reproduction prohibited without written permission.