143
late again
i am late and i will always be late
and every move is late
i come late and go
i eat and sleep late
i am a late arrival
a late leaver
i linger over everything
each luminous detail makes me late
i fly from point to clock point
i am the speedy one
i describe myself speedily but i am late
i am late to look from the height
i am late for work
and late for dinner
i am late because i keep waiting
i keep you and you waiting
i keep life waiting
and life must be waiting for me
i am late for the appointment
and when i finally got there
the people who were not late who were waiting
were all there
but i had come too late
timing is the code of trees
spring is late autumn early
winter is always too soon despite its torah and womb
i wait for summer and it is always late
i wait for the train
i wait for love and i work for it
i waited for the child and the muse and for letters
and for less stultifying arrangements
this is
my poem
about my life
and death
i am not waiting to die
.
Julian Beck
More Julian Beck and the Living Theatre poems and images at https://songsoftherevolution.blogspot.com/