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A weekly poem, read by the author.

"Gods in Exile"

By James LongenbachPosted Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2004, at 6:44 AM ET

Listen to James Longenbach reading this poem.


One grew into a pear tree,
Bearing fruit.
Another, dissatisfied

With created things,
Withdrew: chameleon
Blending with the branch. Climbing

Their stairs, I saw complete
What they'd seen
Rising: a dome
An intelligence
Hovering above the streets

To cover us all.
Highways, strip malls.
Hercules lifting Antaeus

Pelvis to pelvis,
Earth to earth.

One became a sparrow,
Joined the flock.
When his singing aroused
Suspicion, he exchanged his voice

For a peacock's,
The solitary
Darkness of God.

One became a river.
One raised sheep.

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James Longenbach is the author most recently of Draft of a Letter, a collection of poems, and The Art of the Poetic Line, essays on poetic form.
Click here to visit Robert Pinsky's Favorite Poem Project site.


To submit poetry to Slate, send up to five poems and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Robert Pinsky, Slate Magazine, Boston University, 236 Bay State Road, Boston, MA, 02215.
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