AWAKENED BY THE APPROACHING GARBAGE TRUCK WHILE DREAMING OF DU FU
First moments of dawn
immersed in song
of many-voiced birds.
From behind the house
I wheel the bin
to the still dark street.
On sky’s rim
colors appear
that have never been named.
I have lived through
my sixtieth year
Note: Inspired by the poem of Du Fu, ‘Winter Dawn’ in ‘100 Poems Of The Chinese’ translated by Kenneth Rexroth, New Directions, 1971. ‘many-voiced birds’ – from an early Irish monastic poem, ‘The Hermit’s Song’ translated by Kuno Meyer.
Tim Dwyer’s poems appear regularly in UK and Irish journals and are recently or forthcoming with Dreich, The High Window, London Grip, Stony Thursday Book, and previously in Ink, Sweat & Tears. His chapbook is Smithy Of Our Longings (Lapwing). Originally from Brooklyn, he now lives in Bangor, Northern Ireland.