How does a heart turn? by Tod Robbins
by Patricia | 3.09.11
How does a heart turn?
Like a world?
Like a leaf?
Life is turning the pebbles in my heart-stream.
They roll and glide with unknowable matter
Through veins and cavities—the river-road.
Sometimes I walk on that water and the infant stones play rhythms on my soles.
I sway by chest wind and nod at the memory of lilies.
They twisted and moseyed with me at the roadside water’s edge.
Xin committed to following the river-road round seventy times:
I believe this is how a heart can turn.
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Tod Robbins was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and now lives in the greater Seattle area where he attends the University of Washington’s Information School, studying library and information science. His poetry is peculiar like his worldview. He is an advocate for cooperative living, gardening, bicycling, and anything else that inspires one to love, to serve, and to build a community. Collections of his verse will be available on his personal website shortly: http://www.todrobbins.com
March 11th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Perhaps because the title is a question, and maybe because other questions stand out like jewels in the setting of your verse, I find myself wanting to write a poem in response, Tod.
Unexpected combinations of words make this poem something of a rara avis that flits around in my head. Funny and interesting effects.