theimaginaryiceberg

　　we’dratherhavetheicebergthantheship,

　　althoughitmeanttheendoftravel.

　　althoughitstoodstock-stilllikecloudyrock

　　andalltheseaweremovingmarble.

　　we’dratherhavetheicebergthantheship;

　　we’dratherownthisbreathingplainofsnow

　　thoughtheship’ssailswerelaiduponthesea

　　asthesnowliesundissolveduponthewater.

　　osolemn,floatingfield,

　　areyouawareanicebergtakesrepose

　　withyou,andwhenitwakesmaypastureonyoursnows?

　　thisisasceneasailor’dgivehiseyesfor.

　　theship’signored.theicebergrises

　　andsinksagain;itsglassypinnacles

　　correctellipticsinthesky.

　　thisisascenewherehewhotreadstheboards

　　isartlesslyrhetorical.thecurtain

　　isl

　　ightenoughtoriseonfinestropes

　　thatairytwistsofsnowprovide.

　　thewitsofthesewhitepeaks

　　sparwiththesun.itsweighttheicebergdares

　　uponashiftingstageandstandsandstares.

　　thisicebergcutsitsfacetsfromwithin.

　　likejewelryfromagrave

　　itsavesitselfperpetuallyandadorns

　　onlyitself,perhapsthesnows

　　whichsosurpriseuslyingonthesea.

　　good-bye,wesay,good-bye,theshipsteersoff

　　wherewavesgiveintooneanother’swaves

　　andcloudsruninawarmersky.

　　icebergsbehoovethesoul

　　(bothbeingself-madefromelementsleastvisible)

　　toseethemso:fleshed,fair,erectedindivisible.