Chapter One Family and Children with Kit, Age Seven, at the Beach We would climb the highest dune, from there to gaze and come down: the ocean was performing; we contributed our climb. glimpse you often, faithful to every country we ever fo und, a bright shadow th.
You are a memory too strong to leave this world that slips away even as its precious time goes on.
Across bridges that used to find a shore you pass, and along shadows of trees that fell before you were born.
Nowhere now, you call through every storm, a voice that wanders without a home.
Dawn finds our sleeping bag but you are gone.
For a Lost Child What happens is, the kind of snow that sweeps Wyoming comes down while I\'m asleep.
It makes what comes later a gift all the more >precious in your bleeding hands.
They say the hurt is good for you.
They told us that, while we dug our fingers into the stones and looked beseechingly into their eyes.
No good thing is easy.
Things die.
Whole new trees drink what the rivers bring.
Boards curl up.
What difference in a hundred years? The barn where Agnes hanged her child will fall by then, and the scrawled words erase themselves on the floor where rats\' feet run.
And it still hurts on rainy afternoons when the same absent sun gives no sign it will ever come back.
They tap their feet.
And, Hurry up, the whole world says.
But that takes awhile.
Consolations The broken part heals even stronger than the rest, they say.
At Our House Home late, one lamp turned low, crumpled pillow on the couch, wet dishes in the sink (late snack), in every child\'s room the checked, slow, sure breath-- Suddenly in this doorway where I stand in this house I see this place again, this time the night as quiet, the house as well secured, all breath but mine borne gently on the air-- And where I stand, no one.
My wife, a vivid girl from the mountains, says, Then why did you choose me? Mildly I lower my brown eyes-- there are so many things admirable people do not understand.
And in colors I prefer gray and brown.
In personalities I like mild colorless people.
In life I don\'t like much to happen.
Passing Remark in scenery I like flat country.
How far could you swim, Daddy, in such a storm? As far as was needed, I said, and as I talked, I swam.
Those waves raced far, and cold.
Standing on such a hill, what would you tell your child? That was an absolute vista.
What should our gaze mean? K it waited for me to decide.
Waves leapfrogged and came straight out of the storm.
Chapter One Family and Children with Kit, Age Seven, at the Beach We would climb the highest dune, from there to gaze and come down: the ocean was performing; we contributed our climb
