Poems by Stephen Ratcliffe

From Remarks on Color / Sound (3.21.08–4.9.08)

3.21
 
first grey light in sky above blackness of ridge,
white circle of full moon behind branch of tree
in right foreground, sound of waves in channel

monotone surrounded at the margins,
surface indeterminate
 
row of trees to the right, 9 or 10,
picture’s halfway point

silver of sun reflected in blue-green channel,
pale blue sky on horizon to the left of point

3.22

first grey light in sky above plane of black trees,
pale yellow edge of moon behind branches in left
foreground, sound of waves breaking in channel

space in pictures, what happens in
and among the trees
 
the object as a “same,” what makes
it a thing, itself

pale blue sky on horizon to the left of point,
green slope of tree-lined ridge above channel

3.23

first grey light on horizon above plane of black
ridge, whiteness of moon behind branch in right
foreground, sound of waves breaking in channel

thus, the characteristics of “above”
here repeated exactly
 
in geometry, point invisible entity,
therefore nonmaterial

silver of sun reflected in blue-green channel,
pale blue sky on horizon to the left of point

3.24
 
grey light in sky above plane of still black ridge,
white circle of moon behind branches in foreground
across from it, sound of waves breaking in channel

like things at a distance, a field
in which connections
 
the colorless dusk of black, white,
and especially grey

cloudless blue sky on horizon to the left of point,
silver of sunlight reflected in blue-green channel

 
 
3.25
 
grey light coming into sky above still dark ridge,
curve of waning white moon above black branches
in left foreground, sound of waves in channel

“invisible” differences, arriving
at “optical proportions”
 
there a thing in itself, that is,
transcendence of object

grey whiteness of cloud against invisible point,
gull perched on triangular orange of GROIN sign

3.26

pink-grey light in sky above blackness of ridge,
white three-quarter circle of moon above trees
in left foreground, sound of waves in channel

the fullness of that which is one,
not aggregate of things
 
world, repeat, waiting to display
itself all in one piece

grey whiteness of fog on horizon next to point,
green slope of tree-lined ridge across channel

From Temporality (5.28.10–7.6.10)

5.29
 
pink-orange in pale blue sky above still
shadowed plane of ridge, sparrow calling
in foreground, sound of waves in channel

possibility of thinking what,
balances word “meaning”
 
come to the surface in a way,
sentence, also attempt

silver of sunlight reflected in channel,
sunlit white cloud to the left of point

5.31
 
blinding silver edge of sun above still
shadowed ridge, white of moon by branch
in foreground, sound of wave in channel

possibility of work complete,
that idea in phenomena
 
is between surface and depth,
visible, form of space

cloudless blue sky reflected in channel,
shadowed green slope of ridge across it

6.1
 
grey whiteness of cloud against invisible
top of ridge, blue jay calling on branch
in foreground, sound of wave in channel

graphite inscribed in middle
left, bleu / bleu pale
 
transpires, sight looks that
is, telling perception

blue-white haze reflected in channel,
wingspan of osprey flapping overhead

6.2
 
first grey light in fog against invisible
ridge, robin calling 3 notes from branch
in foreground, sound of wave in channel

each one will be seen to be,
abundance of phenomena
 
itself, in dramatic sequence,
painting after “forms”

white cloud in pale blue sky above ridge,
wingspan of gull flapping across from it

 
6.3
 
grey whiteness of cloud against invisible
ridge, robin calling from branch in left
foreground, no sound of wave in channel

meaning in which being rests,
at any time is founded
 
presented, left out too much,
previous hint of dream

grey-white cloud reflected in channel,
wingspan of osprey flapping across it

6.4
 
grey whiteness of cloud against invisible
ridge, motionless green of leaf in right
foreground, no sound of wave in channel

finite with respect to space
of reference, material
 
field contained, mass merged,
regarded as improbable

grey-white cloud reflected in channel,
wingspan of osprey flapping toward it

Reproduced from Selected Days with permission from Counterpath Press.