REAL LIFE —
CAN YOU IMAGINE IT?
(“Real Life” sample)
Al Purdy at the window
looks over the farm while
the peacock fans a white goose
and the evening sun flames
on the burnished leaves of the giant maple.
Then he turns to me and says:
“Real life — can you imagine it?”
Douglas Fir,
Arbutus,
Garryana Oak,
miles and miles of them,
reaching down to blue ocean
where illuminated ferry boats
glow unearthly in a sea mist.
Can you imagine it?
Is it real?
What’s real?
You couldn’t,
you shouldn’t,
you wouldn’t.
You might get shot in Salvador.
A …