Planning the Disappearance of Those Who Have Gone

Planning the Disappearance of Those Who Have Gone

By Frank Stanford 1948–1978 Frank Stanford
Soon I will make my appearance
But first I must take off my rings
And swords and lay them out all
Along the lupine banks of the forbidden river
In reckoning the days I have
Left on this earth I will use
No fingers

Estate of Frank Stanford © C.D. Wright

Source: The Singing Knives (Lost Road Publishers, 1979)

back to top

RELATED CONTENT

Discover this poem’s context and related poetry, articles, and media.

Poet Frank Stanford 1948–1978

POET’S REGION U.S., Southern

Subjects Living, Death, Social Commentaries, War & Conflict

Poetic Terms Free Verse

More about this poem

Biography

Born in 1948, Stanford was a prolific poet known for his originality and ingenuity. He has been dubbed “a swamprat Rimbaud” by Lorenzo Thomas and “one of the great voices of death” by Franz Wright. He grew up in Mississippi, Tennessee, and then Arkansas, where he lived for most of his life and wrote many of his most powerful poems. He attended the University of Arkansas from 1967-9 and studied engineering while continuing to . . .

Continue reading this biography

back to top

Poems by Frank Stanford

back to top

Poem Categorization

SUBJECT Living, Death, Social Commentaries, War & Conflict

POET’S REGION U.S., Southern

Poetic Terms Free Verse

If you disagree with this poem's categorization, make a suggestion.

back to top

Related

Articles

Report a problem with this poem

Originally appeared in Poetry magazine.

This poem has learning resources.

This poem is good for children.

This poem has related video.

This poem has related audio.