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“Beneath the Southern Cross” by Patti Smith

Beneath the Southern Cross

Oh-
To be
Not anyone
Gone
This maze of being
Skin

Oh-
To cry
Not any cry
So mournful that
The dove just laughs
The steadfast gasps
Oh-
To owe
Not anyone
Nothing
To be
Not here

But here
Forsaking all
Equatorial bliss
Who walked through
The callow mist
Dressed in scraps

Who walked
The curve of the world
Whose bone scraped
Whose flesh unfurled
Who grieves not
Anyone gone

To greet lame
The inspired sky
Amazed to stumble
Where gods get lost
Beneath
The southern cross

.

Patti Smith, 1946–

“Beneath the Southern Cross”
© 1996 Patti Smith

Photo by Fernando Rodrigues on Unsplash

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