West of the Moon

(a trifle)

Go sell your clothes and buy a sword, A bright one, such as ornaments the robes Of king’s sons.

15 hrs ago • 

J.Z Schafer

2

1

(a trifle)

We do not dress as if we lived and moved In God’s own court; we do not speak As if we spoke with princes of the fire, With gratitude and tact; the man…

Oct 18 • 

J.Z Schafer

9

1

(a trifle)

Old men, I call upon you from your banishment Shambling among your heavy inscrutable instruments, Your rabbit’s paws and antlered Cadillacs Chewing…

Oct 16 • 

J.Z Schafer

23

4

(a trifle)

Beside me, lakes; and in me, lakes. Whoever leads me and she is a blaze Of gracelit water, tall and long of leg, With a blue spear, and painted like a…

Oct 9 • 

J.Z Schafer

11

September 2025

(a trifle)

Licorice fire And twilight on her skin; Orion, Sagittarius, And twilight once again. Licorice fire The snow and grapes of sin; At first and being boys…

Sep 22 • 

J.Z Schafer

8

(a trifle)

Zeal like a young fox Has entered the house at night And slain the cock We kept for Asclepius; Young women in the lane With cinnamon in their hair Has…

Sep 11 • 

J.Z Schafer

13

2

August 2025

(a trifle)

What mysteries are fatherhood? And in the singular and plural of the good What sweetnesses and brines be amphoraed? And in the brutal wedge of rhyme Do…

Aug 27 • 

J.Z Schafer

8

2

(a trifle)

Sands silver under silver moons Betray that things will always change But never in a chilliad of fire Will Beauty, dancing like a girl Flecked with the…

Aug 19 • 

J.Z Schafer

10

(a trifle)

First on the mountains where the light takes shape Like women, and the women are like snow, I saw more elements than books relate; Five thunders and…

Aug 7 • 

J.Z Schafer

11

(a trifle)

The white blue dolphins in the folding waves Become like speech of prophets which must fall Through all the fingers stretched in beggary Down more…

Aug 2 • 

J.Z Schafer

8

July 2025

(a trifle)

Tomorrow if you breathe in deep enough You will be glad to see the man go free Who cheated you and left you nothing else But vindication in the courts…

Jul 26 • 

J.Z Schafer

11

(a trifle)

It’s humble men that craft a thing so well It out-endures their flesh, decaying as it will, Who make the marble laughing like a rill Or shadow-hallowed…

Jul 22 • 

J.Z Schafer

11

2