Sample Poems by George Northrup

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When Grief has nailed the Shutters closed
And drawn the Curtains--tight,
The parlor fills with haunting Shades
Of spare--immortal Night.

When Grief ascends the empty Stair,
So heavy with the Weight--
Its footfalls roar like Organ notes--
At Cemetery's gate.

When Grief has pulled the blanket up,
Let woolly eyelids down--
Convulsing sobs attune the Heart
Unto Itself--Alone.

When Grief inspects the morning's Face
And finds it cruelly Bright--
Insensate eyes attempt to rinse
All luster from the Light.

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Grief--the uninvited Guest
We suffer--awkwardly--
In stubborn ignorance of what
A constant Friend she'll be.

Through all her morbid chatter,
Repetitious with self-care--
We listen till we can--Admit
The one--Who isn't there.

Bent near at Resolution
She cradles fevered head--
Released from her embrace--we know
Just how to greet the dead.

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Inside the dark--between the stars,
Where bodies fail to shine
Collect the spectral memories
Of all I held as mine.

Some nights they ask a neighbor--Wink--
To tender me a sign.
Or I can squint--and Concentrate--
Enjoy them for a time.

Though skies tonight are clouded--
And eyes myopic, too--
No dark intimidation bars
This Haven from my view.

The farthest star that warms Ceylon
Puts tea leaves in my cup.
Each night--a pensive Thales may
Drop down--by looking up.

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The rolling Thunder of your Scorn--
Remembered--jolts the bed--
Rough Trespass trembles wary heart,
Wrinkles weary head.

Foreswearing sullen counter-crimes
Itself is not the Peace--
My candle seeks a Needle
To sew--Wings upon this Beast.

---

Gray Fortress of my Solo self
Has seven Gates to keep--
So thin the membrane of its scope--
Each foray pierces--Deep.

With every Breath I gulp the air
Of worlds beyond this jail--
When mortar fails and bulwarks fall
Apart reverts to whole.

---

I'm searching--for bright words to string
A necklace of Coherence--
Keepsake or gift--but precious twice
In substance and appearance.

The order and the Sense--I fear--
Would--jumbled so and babbled--
Betray to all--a scattered Life
Here frittered and there dabbled.