Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Mimi Khalvati

The Middle Tone

The Middle Tone

The Middle Tone

Just so I spend my life asleep.
Stars, if there are, might shine above
And dust, dust that I’ve always loved’s
Now dirt at most I lightly sweep.

But cantaor, I too exist.
My middle tone of dung and nectar,
flower and carrion, is a star
that fell, dust I too once kissed.



Reproduced by kind permission of the author and Carcanet.
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The Middle Tone

Just so I spend my life asleep.
Stars, if there are, might shine above
And dust, dust that I’ve always loved’s
Now dirt at most I lightly sweep.

But cantaor, I too exist.
My middle tone of dung and nectar,
flower and carrion, is a star
that fell, dust I too once kissed.



Reproduced by kind permission of the author and Carcanet.

The Middle Tone

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