Thief

The cows' hearts beat in the meadow
a man comes to steal their milk
walking in the cool of the dew
he neither loves nor hates
time stops just for him
when the sun is high in the sky
all he can do then is sleep
sloughing off
childhood, maturity, old age.
If he passes it's no use calling:
Wait.

Copyright © 2003 Jean Follain / W.S. Merwin All rights reserved
from Transparence of the World
Copper Canyon Press
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission