In Praise of Being Peripheral

by Jane Hirshfield

Jane Hirshfield

Without philosophy,
tragedy,
history,

a grey squirrel
looks
very busy.

Light as a soul
released
from a painting by Bosch,
its greens
and vermilions stripped off it.

He climbs a tree
that is equally ahistoric.

His heart works harder.





Last updated November 14, 2022