David McAleavey’s ‘Written next to a page of Emerson’
From Talk Music
You should empower all the voices, since
what is strong enough makes a pattern of itself.
The sound of a line can make the next line easy.
Or thought can: further down you’ll find
clear streams connecting unfathomed blanks.
Deeper still are the big rivers that make
the ground quake, the air chill and quick.
The landscape is glorious even if the music is
unfamiliar. It makes the brave shiver.
Think about it: what do you care if you’re lost?
Wouldn’t you really rather hear the music? This
is after all the plot of earth where
those of us who think talk of music
can be music
talk.