The late Welsh-born Canadian poet and essayist Godfrey John wrote insightful poetry and essays. With keen observations and well-chosen words, his poetry comes to life and makes wonderfully enjoyable reading.
SYDNEY...
came out of nowhere.
He waddled
purposely across
the sidewalk.
The lights changed.
I braked obediently--
one eye on this
large,white
hook-beaked pedestrian
who stopped obediently--
looking both ways.
“Walk!”
the light said
but no one was there
except this seagull—
every inch a Sydney:
precise, urbane,
he stepped out,
beak dripping oceans
before so many
wheels and eyes
gawking incredulous.
Will he…? He made it.
“Don’t walk!”
the light said: obediently
Sydney flew
across my windshield,
winked at me once as he
soared up
over the rooftops
towards his sane,
uncongested,
unwalked
sea….
MYFANWY
Myfanwy~~name in a song,
the Spring of a Welsh bard's art:
a cywydd from Dafydd's young
and fourteenth-century heart.
Myfanwy~~song in a word
soft heart on the curved Welsh tongue,
the single name of a girl~~
three sounds, one image to hang
like the wind's shape on the wold,
like gold in old tapestry,
like harp strings touched in a psalm,
like a voice in prayer made free ...
Myfanwy~~loveliness shared
one third in the spoken part,
one third in the meaning sung,
one third in the woken heart
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