Let me introduce

a fellow poet. Here is a piece by James Lee Jobe, posted at Putah Creek. (See links) Check out his blog. He shares his work and that of other poets and news of readings in his local area.


WHAT YOU COULD BECOME


You can become many things in just one life; a lover

with breath on fire, touching like flame a sensual meaning;

a hammer for bent, spent nails; a yellow-eyed goat

chewing the grass behind the fencepost; a cloud;

tomorrow itself with time not passing.

You change by the lone dance of your will, and you own

only what you can carry inside the invisible pouch,

as change is your end and your means, what you become

is that which you already are, you silly dreamer,

you fool of poems and hopes uncounted.

A killer, cold and distant; the dog that didn't whimper;

the place where motion and light caress each other.

It is hard to say what you could become.


James Lee Jobe


My response to an inquiry from him follows -
More thoughts on mermaids...
Mermaids represent the sensual, the mysterious, a sense of curiosity, openness, a certain type of naivete (not to be confused with benevolence or goodness or sweetness as mermaids don't make these type of human distinctions.) A mermaid is drawn to others but pleased enough to be of herself in beautiful surroundings, a mermaid values beauty above almost everything else.

He replied, "sounds like a poet..."
(Thanks Jim)