Carrie Newcomer I Do Not Know Its Name
He leaned in and whispered as he turned the page,
And he said "Make yourself into a flame"
A crazy old lion with his hair all backlit,
Grinnin' like a little boy who has a secret.
I do not know it's name
A€? Though it's ever intertwining,
And I believe it must look like an old man shining
We were eating summer peaches by a roadside stand,
Juice running down like laughter on our chin and on our hands
When we were done we looked around and smiled at each other,
And you said, Come on Carrie, let's have another."
And I do not know it's name
No matter how I try
But I believe it must taste like peaches eaten by the roadside
He drove a rental car shuttle to the airport on Sundays
We chatted that grey morning about the choir he sang with Wednesdays.
He sang a haunting gospel hymn shameless and clear,
With only me a wandering stranger sitting there to hear.
I do not know it's name
Elusive and subtle,
But I believe it must sound like that man singing in the shuttle.
Bridge
Standing in the river barefoot in the current,
I hear the sound of a birdcall and try to learn it.
The water is a wonder, it's cold and fast and deep,
I saw fish go swimming out too far for me to reach.
I do not know it's name,
Swimmer or watcher.
But I believe that there is always something,
Moving beneath the water.
If holy is a sphere that cannot be rendered,
There is no middle place because all of it is center
I do not know it's name
I do not know it's name
I do not know it's name
