Poetry Appearing in Poetry In Motion® Portland

Wrong Side of the River

Stanley Plumly

I watched you on the wrong side
of the river, waving. You were trying
to tell me something. You used both hands
and sort of ran back and forth.
as if to say look behind you, look out
behind you. I wanted to wave back.
But you began shouting and I didn't
want you to think I understood.
So I did nothing but stand still,
thinking that's what to do on the wrong side
of the river. After a while you did too.
We stood like that for a long time. Then
I raised a hand, as if to be called on,
and you raised a hand, as if to the same question.
 
* * *
"Wrong Side of the River" from Out-of-the-Body Travel.
Copyright © 1974 by Stanley Plumly.
Reprinted by permission of the author.

 

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