Gravity III

and by its force
the cars pass and pass,
going, coming, going, coming,
ignoring the bristles 
of the forest's dark and thick green mass 
bushing inland from the sand's estuary,
and behind the purple hills cutting clean
lines into sky,
chubby clouds like ranks of flushed
cherubim 
float towards a disappearing sun

and somewhere under roofs like barns,
fluorescent light tubed-in
drops on golfers practising their swings,
intent on stance and form,
on the action of the moment
in their hands

and somewhere in a hotel room
a woman unpacks 
her entire life from a case,
looks out the window, meets 
the evening colliding with her face
blank as any wall, 
she faces
silence as her hands fold clothes

and students in town bars
drown exam sorrows 
or discuss the rugby scores 
or pledge to do more before
getting in another round,
music so loud they can't hear
the bell toll time

soundless does the world revolve,
all life lived according to its nature,
sap rising since birth 
is transfigured poison or worth
when it reaches bud
as blighted dud or bloom -
we cannot make it run in reverse, 
shove it in and back and down
to its origin, defy the force 
that glues us to our roads, learning -
we are all rough shod
and carry loads we hope 
our trying solves enough 
to defy the final force
of gravity that pulls us in

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