Things That Want to Be Counted

March 24, 2013

By Anne Valley-Fox

Someone on earth is counting—
night stars,
rooms in a honeycomb,
snow geese descending, wild
lilies, grain spilled from a bushel basket,
bubbles rising up from the Blue Hole.

Those who are hungry get up in the dark.
Their job is to count
sticks of kindling,
cups of milk, empty beds or racks of shoes,
newspapers in the dwindling stack,
how many fish in the bottom of the boat.

This piece was written by:

Anne Valley-Fox

Anne Valley-Fox has published four books of poetry: How Shadows Are Bundled (University of New Mexico Press, 2009), Point of No Return (La Alameda Press, 2006), Fish Drum 15 (Fish Drum Press, 1999) and Sending the Body Out (Zephyr Press, 1986). She has also published five books of nonfiction (one co-authored with Sam Keen; four co-edited with Ann Lacy). For more please see AnneValleyFox.com.