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Mary Di Lucia: The Pleasure of It

May 12, 2011 by PBQ

We left no footprints
because we cleared them off
after us, with mighty brooms.

For the entire second half
of the expedition, we walked backwards
sweeping, facing what we were leaving

reeling and unreeling. The meteors
also moved left to right, a tribute. It was as if
we were not there, that is how there

we were; we left that terrain
more virgin than before we had been
that is how beloved to us it was.

We sealed all the mines
and refroze the lakes, with care.
It was purely for the pleasure

of it, this visit, which must make
so little sense to you. After all
we could not live there in absolutes
no matter how good our good snowshoes.

Filed Under: Contributors 84, Issue 86, Poetry, Poetry 84 Tagged With: Contributors 84, Mary Di Lucia, Poetry, Poetry 84

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