Karl Shapiro

But with exquisite breathing you smile, with satisfaction of love, And I touch you again as you tick in the silence and settle in sleep. ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#breathing #exquisite #i #love #satisfaction

Already old, the question Who shall die? Becomes unspoken Who is innocent? ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#becomes #die #innocent #old #question

In the tight belly of the dead, Burrow with hungry head, And inlay maggots like a jewel. ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#dead #head #hungry #jewel #like

Lastly, his tomb shall list and founder in the troughs of grass. And none shall speak his name. ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#grass #his #lastly #list #name

My soul is now her day, my day her night, So I lie down, and so I rise. ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#down #her #i #lie #my soul

Poetry is innocent, not wise. It does not learn from experience, because each poetic experience is unique. ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#does #each #experience #innocent #learn

The body, what is it, Father, but a sign To love the force that grows us, to give back What in Thy palm is senselessness and mud? ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#body #father #force #give #grows

The doctor punched my vein, the captain called me Cain, upon my belly sat the sow of fear. ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#cain #called #captain #doctor #fear

The good poet sticks to his real loves, those within the realm of possibility. He never tries to hold hands with God or the human race. ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#good #hands #his #hold #human

To make the child in your own image is a capital crime, for your image is not worth repeating. The child knows this and you know it. Consequently you hate each other. ↗

— Karl Shapiro

#child #consequently #crime #each #hate