Lisa Robertson

The Story
after Cobbett

On the eastern sky, fingers of pink light.
Facing the sun we left town and drove, fresh
light on our arms. A young girl slept under
the opening fingers. But what can we
keep. All night they sleep. We launch into rest
and the flames burn through
alone in its clearing. The brave thing would be
To sleep in a hut again, dawn to nervy
dark, studying
the ground. A covey of women got out
worn and tough. So much for that.

And all night long the truck sheared through the
night into the dawn. And the sun went down
and all the roads grew dark. And here I lay
in ambush all night. In quiet Sleep my
eyes shut. I laid down and slept
in luxury. I went to Sleep above
the wash of ripples. Dawn came. By night we
ran onward. Nine days I drifted. Sleep weighed
on my eyes. And I went to rest out of
the wind. I slept on duty. Day waned

All the roads grew dark. I cut, I died, I
fell, I dove, I ate, I fell, I fed, I
felt, and there I lay in ambush. I fought
I found, I fled, I flung, I flew, I fore
bore, I forbade, I forgot and my eyes
my eyes shut. I laid down and
shut. I forgave, I forsook, I got, I
laid down and slept in luxury. I hid
in luxury. I went to Sleep before
I hurt. I kept, I knew, I laid.
I left, and went to Sleep above
the wash of ripples. I lent, I let
the wash of ripples. Dawn came. By night we
lay. I lost, I made, I met, I over
came, I overdid, and Dawn came
above the wash of ripples
ran onward. Nine days I drifted. Sleep weighed,
ran onward. I ran, I said, I saw, I
sought, I sold, I sent, I set, I shook, and
on my eyes nine days drifted.

I shut, I sang, and Sleep weighed on my eyes.
I went to rest out of the wind. Into the dawn
I thrust. Day waned. I sunk, I sat
I slew, I slept, I slid into evening
to rest out of the wind. I spent, I span,
I wept until Sleep came. And
I stunk. And I slept on duty. I struck,
hid in darkness, dropped
my eyes and nodded, overcome.
I swore, I took, I taught, I tore, I told,
I wrote. Day waned into evening.

Burnt, I burst, I cast, I chid day, waned
into evening. I crept, I crept, I
dared, I dug, I dipt, I drew, I dreamt
two hours had disappeared.
I dwelt, I wept until Sleep came. I froze.
I gelt, I girt, I grew, I hung, I helpt,
I hewed, I knelt and I resumed.

And all the roads grew dark
with my longing and my tears. It snowed
in darkness. I strewed, I strove, I swelled all night
The truck sheared through the night.