Anticipated Stranger,

By John Ashbery b. 1927 John Ashbery

the bruise will stop by later.

For now, the pain pauses in its round,

notes the time of day, the patient’s temperature,

leaves a memo for the surrogate: What the hell

did you think you were doing? I mean . . .

Oh well, less said the better, they all say.

I’ll post this at the desk.

God will find the pattern and break it.

“Anticipated Stranger” from A Worldly Country by John Ashbery. Copyright © 2007 by John Ashbery. Reprinted by permission of Georges Borchardt, Inc., on behalf of the author. All rights reserved.

Source: A Worldly Country (Ecco Press, 2007)

Anticipated Stranger,

Anticipated Stranger,

RELATED CONTENT