North people known for silence. Long dark of winter. Norrland families go months without talking, Eskimos also, except bursts of sporadic eerie song. South people different. Right and wrong all crystal there and they squabble, no fears, though they praise north silence. "Ho," they say, "look at them deep thinkers, them strong philosophical types, men of peace." But take notice please of what happens. Winter on the brain. You're literate, so words are what you feel. Then you're struck dumb. To which love can you speak the words that mean dying and going insane and the relentless futility of the real? Used with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368-0271, www.cc.press.org | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LOVER IN HELL by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET LETTER TO MAXINE SULLIVAN by HAYDEN CARRUTH THE STORY OF THE END OF THE STORY by JAMES GALVIN THE OCTOROON by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE RING AND THE CASTLE by AMY LOWELL |