Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TESTIMONY by JAMES GALVIN

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: YOU CAN'T STEP INTO THE SAME
Last Line: Either. Not once
Subject(s): BUTTER; FLOWERS; RIVERS;
You can't step into the same
River even once,
And why would you want to? You can't
Lie down without turning your back
On someone. The sun slips
Like butter in a pan.

The eastern sky arrives
On the back stoop in its dark
Suit. It draws itself up
Full height to present its double
Rainbow like an armful of flowers.
@3Thank you, they're lovely@1.

I step outside where the wind
Lifts my hair and it's just
Beginning to rain in the sun,
And the earth silvers like a river
We're in, I swear to God,
And you can't step out of a river

Either. Not once.


Used with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA
98368-0271, www.cc.press.org


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