To the Old Who Hope and Fear to Die

Put that in the notes of your books,
The black and white notes of your white

And black books. Think of that long night.
You are not here just to be here.

You are not to be here at all.
So long as you are here, why not

Help out those who will be when you
Aren’t? You are spring and you are fall.

There’s a tree that lives by the road
Where no one needs to look at it.

On all sides, big views catch the eye.
The tree just tries to catch some light.

Catch light. You can’t be what you hope.
You can’t fear what you write. You’re right.

One day and the next, the tree breathes
While it can. Look at it. It helps.