Childhood’s Retreat

written by


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It’s in the perilous boughs of the tree
out of blue sky  the wind
sings loudest surrounding me.


And solitude, a wild solitude
’s reveald, fearfully, high I’d climb
into the shaking uncertainties,


part out of longing, part  daring my self,
part to see that
widening of the world,  part


to find my own, my secret
hiding sense and place, where from afar
all voices and scenes come back


—the barking of a dog,  autumnal burnings,
far calls, close calls—  the boy I was
calls out to me
here the man where I am  “Look!


I’ve been where you


most fear to be.”

© Robert Duncan