Jerry Harp's Poem "Testament"

"Testament"

I give my body to the grass, 
the roots, and the weather. 

I give my ears to sunlit piercings, 
my fingers to the fellowship of clouds. 

I toss this dirt across your grave. 
To the dirt I give my hands, 

to the roses my eyes. 
My teeth I give to the wooded path 

where I burn myself like incense 
and swallow stones instead of bread. 

-- Jerry Harp, Portland 

Jerry Harp's books of poems are "Creature" (Salt, 2003), "Gatherings" (Ashland Poetry Press, 2004) and "Urban Flowers, Concrete Plains" (Salt, 2006). Hisstudy of Donald Justice, "'For Us, What Music?' The Life and Poetry of DonaldJustice," is forthcoming from the University of Iowa Press. He teaches atLewis & Clark College. 

This appeared in the Oregonian on Sunday March 29, 2009 
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