p

Living

 

The fire in leaf and grass

so green it seems

each summer the last summer.

 

The wind blowing, the leaves

shivering in the sun,

each day the last day.

 

A red salamander

so cold and so

easy to catch, dreamily

 

moves his delicate feet

and long tail.  I hold

my hand open for him to go.

 

Each minute the last minute.

 

    Denise Levertov