When This Poem Began

Consummation –

devoutly to be wished –

this slippery evasion:

to let the yearning be

its own reward –

less grasping-after

than a moving-toward! –

No, that's not what

it wanted to be.

When this poem began

like Pinocchio

to turn from an 'it' to a 'he',

I was tempted to trade it

for something more

neatly aligned with

my own kind of poetry.

But then it reminded me:

"I am a pilgrim!

And I tread the road to joy."

It's a good little boy.

Tell us someday

if he made it.

.