Speed

the people planting potatoes are infected by dawn
infected by the sun as it rises
quickly they work     the world is quick at this time
quickly the dew dries     quickly the field voles scamper off
at times like this you need to be quick     labourers
are quick to remove their jackets     to bare their arms
a whole day's work depends on a good morning start     this is how
primary school teachers educate their students     they
react with speed     the invisible world in their classrooms
the morning’s Chinese lesson     is understood on paper as
a few     set phrases left over from yesterday
at dusk     the world slows right down
the ranks of the earth slow down facing westwards
formations of corn-fields and low hills
formations of rivers and forests
formations of villages and sunflowers
everything slows down facing westward
all those shadows dragged over things slow right down
like silk wrapped round the body of night
slipping away, bolt by bolt
the potato planters     carrying their tools
mingle with the kids coming home from school
they walk slowly over the uplands
home ahead of them     not worried about time
the children dawdle
no more homework to do
the adults dawdle
because the potatoes have all been planted
they’re all so slow
as if the earth had somehow got into their bodies
but those things planted at speed
have in no sense slowed down     nor have they ever gained speed
incapable both of speed and slowness
they’ve simply begun   and all they have to do is grow
is be     from morning to night
from spring to autumn
neither hurried nor slow     right to the very end

1999

SPEED