He picked up a pebble
and threw it into the sea.
And another, and another.
He couldn't stop.
He couldn't stop.
He wasn't trying to fill the sea.
He wasn't trying to empty the beach.
He wasn't trying to empty the beach.
He was just throwing away,
nothing else but.
nothing else but.
Like a kitten playing
he was practicing for the future
he was practicing for the future
when there'll be so many things
he'll want to throw away
he'll want to throw away
if only his fingers will unclench
and let them go.
and let them go.
"Small boy" by Norman MacCaig, from The Poems of Norman MacCaig. © Birlinn, 2009.Art credit: "Fun at the beach on a glorious day," photograph by WILLSIE (originally color).
MacCaig has a great "formal" poem called "By Achmelvich Bridge" where he describes a waterfall jumping through "smithereens of light"! That image always struck me.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check that out. Thanks! :)
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