They Begin To Put Up Portraits Poem by RIC BASTASA

in a landscape of words
the disciples finally get tired

and so they begin to put up
portraits
of their faces, put a patch
of grass,
some drops of rain,
scents of roses,
sounds of brooks,
the swiftness of wings of
robins

one disciple who is faithful
to the last letter
says that this is a betrayal
and offers flowers to the
gods so that they may
be forgiven

the landscape of words in
black and white
has changed

it is not paper anymore
but a prairie where children
and dogs begin to play.