the shadow of heaven
Ray Heinrich
we must all be
underneath the shadow of heaven
the latticework
that keeps us
from the real void
the unimaginable
but stop and ask me
what i am doing
what is my presumption
to name a poem ’the shadow of heaven’
and i will tell you
the real power of a poet
is the power to use
whatever words are available
and the payment is
as always
to be ignored
and sometimes to be burned
but only the best are burned
the freedom of mediocrity
is sublime and total
and as the smoke rises
you don’t need to ask
where the best are
you have only
to lay yourself back
in the shadow of heaven
falling over us all
