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Carl Leggo
like Turkish delight dipped in Belgian
chocolate, the prophet Jeremiah ate
God’s words, his heart’s delight
because we do not live on bread alone,
we need words like honeycomb
after winter’s sojourn in the desert
an apt word is like an apple of gold,
precious, admired, desired even,
but not always easily digestible
true words are stones that can be laid
down across the bog, a sturdy path
for others to walk amidst the lilies
words are seeds sowed in a farmer’s field
where wheat and weeds grow side by side,
different texts for interpretation
like a lamp that cleaves darkness, words
are sun and moon and constellations
of stars beyond the counting
to ignore thoughtful words is like peering
in a mirror, seeing our faces, only
to turn and forget what we look like
because too many words can be like
tramping on an anthill, wisdom is learning
to hold the tongue, to speak silence
for our heart’s delight, the word dwells
among us, full of light and life and truth
Carl Leggo is a professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia where he teaches courses in writing and narrative inquiry. He has published three books of poems: Growing Up Perpendicular on the Side of a Hill, View from My Mother's House, and Come-By-Chance. Much of his poetry is autobiographical, and seeks to understand what it means to be a human being in the 21st century. Poetry is an important part of Carl's ongoing effort to know God with intimate wisdom.
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