xxxxvi
prime trekker
stranger
is the the
when we are
when we are not
not not
it
a thing repeated
is a thing the same
renewed
once again itself
first though
it didn’t know - it was like - it wasn’t so
and there was no one there
so new anew surprise turned tears beware
when no one first became
strange shape no name
the stranger is an anything
can any thing be stranger?
we fear to tread
our path was true
we have our normal things to do
the stranger though is always new
the stranger though is always new
and reared its shape and one becomes now two
what dream is this?
surreal strange the stranger’s ask
made heart-mad made
made shimmers in the body of our air
the stranger stood both here and there
where else nowhere the stranger was there everywhere
where any-when is anywhere
though anywhere was not the stranger
as anywhere might be
as anywhere might be a place
and placed we’d place
should something move or do
the thing again would no more surely show
forgotten where our mirrored shadow
the stranger is never itself
and plays no game
the stranger is never itself
so wish it never was speaks surety survival
collapsed our hearts and eyes on points of curious flew
there’s no escape save know to know
the stranger prods us go
so go we go
and go we go
our going goes
us going both
both different and the same
a thing repeated
is a thing
renewed the same
again once itself
first though
it didn’t know
it wasn’t like it wasn’t so
and there was no one there to show
a paper rips to scare
so new anew surprise turned tears beware
when no one first was named
strange shape it then became
the stranger is an anything
can any thing be stranger?
we tread to fear
our true was path’d
we have our normal things to pass
the stranger though is always rare
the stranger though is always rare
and reared its shape and one becomes now two
what dream is this?
surreal asks strange in stranger’s ask
mad heart-made mad
made shimmers in the body of our air
the stranger stood both here and there
the stranger stood both here and there
where else nowhere the stranger there was everywhere
where any where is anywhere
though anywhere was not the stranger
as anywhere might be
as anywhere might be a place
and placed we’d place
should something move or do
the thing again would no more surely show
forgotten like our mirror’s low
the stranger is never
and plays no game
the stranger is never
so wish never it was speaks surety survival
collapsed our hearts and eyes on points curious flew
there’s no escape save know to know
the stranger prods us go
so go we go
and go we go
our going goes
us going both
both different and the same
“SECRETS ON THE WAY”
Daylight struck the face of one who wept.
He received a livelier dream
but did not wake.
Darkness struck the face of one who walked
among the others in the sun’s strong
impatient rays.
Suddenly it turned dark as in a downpour.
I stood in a room that held every moment -
a butterfly museum.
And still the sun is as strong as before.
Its impatient brushes painted the world.
Tomas Tranströmer