afieldnotebook

North

Look North more often.
Go against the wind,
you'll get ruddy cheeks.
Find the rough path. Keep to it.
It's shorter. North is best.

Winter's flaming sky -
summer night's sun miracle.
Go against the wind. Climb mountains.
Look north. More often.

This land is long.
Most is north.

Road's End

The roads have come to their end now,
they don't go any further, they turn here,
over on the earth there.
You can't go any further if you don't want
to go to the moon or the planets. Stop now
in time and turn to a wasp's nest or a cow track,
a volcano opening or a clatter of stones in the woods--
it's all the same. Something else.

They won't go any further as I've said
without changing, the engine to horseshoes,
the gear shift to a fir branch
--which you hold loose in your hand
--what the hell is this?

-Rolf Jacobsen