Canadian poet Dennis Lee is famous for children's poems, via books like Alligator Pie. As this poem shows, however, there's another side to his work:
Summer Song The light was free and easy then, Among the maple trees, And music drifted over From the neighbours' balconies; Half my mind was nodding With the asters in their ranks, And half was full to bursting With a hungry kind of thanks.
It wasn't just the mottled play Of light upon the lawn. I didn't hope to live back all the Good times that were gone; All I wanted was to let The light and maples be, Yet something came together as they Entered into me. And what was singing in my mind Was in my body too: Sun and lawn and aster beds Murmuring, I do -- Earth beloved, yes, I do I Too am here by grace, As real as any buried stone Or any blade of grass. Breath and death and pestilence Were not revoked by that. Heavy things went on, among The calm magnificat. Yet as I sat, my body spoke The words of my return: There is a joy of being, which you Must be still and learn.
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