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Statistics and Waterfalls

Text of Poem

The textbook lies on the
reading table in the fiction room,
its statistics, diagrams and graphs
as factual as a cement walk or
lightbulb. Dropped by some
absent-minded hand near the shelves
that offer journey to the
rock candy mountain and haunted
waterfalls (return not guaranteed)
where unknown countries wait to be
explored by curious travellers.
The textbook knows the number
of board feet in a forest tree,
but not the shudder stirred by
a stealthy movement in the leaves,
the glimpse of a black paw
poised to strike.

First Line
The textbook lies on the
Original Pub Location
Original Publication Date
1979
Original Citation
Black and White 1 (1979) 18.
Complete Poems
392
Word Count
89
Poetic Form
open
References and Commentary
"Rock Candy mountain" may be a reference to the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain."
Themes
Twitter Quote
The textbook knows the number / of board feet in a forest tree