Rocks and Words
a poetic libretto by Jim D. Babwe
One
How long does it take
to make rocks like these not quite
round but beautiful?
Two
Gently rolled in sand,
or heaved against the neighbors —
each remains unique.
Three
Multicolored lines,
infinite variations—
individuals.
Four
Degrees of hardness,
diamond comparisons—
interdependent.
Five
Born from cauldron fire,
expelled as glowing magma,
air and water cooled.
Six
Sidewalks, buildings, roads —
silent, patient endurance —
strength measured by time.
Seven
Small slingshot ammo —
David’s Goliath-killer.
Etched headstone letters.
Eight
Granite’s relatives —
variations of the theme.
Aa, pahoihoi.
Nine
Amalgamated
by Earth’s factory—
no duplications.
Ten
Gravel, pebbles, stone
known to break metal scissors —
paper thinks it wins.
Eleven
Compressed history
enduring through centuries
sneering at our clocks.
Twelve
Sand’s wet persistence
reduces giant boulders
into tiny grains.
Thirteen
Transformed into glass,
bullet-proof or brittle thin—
windows made from rock.
Fourteen
Cut by diamond saws,
slabs, tables, countertops, tiles,
flagstones, bookends, weights.
Fifteen
Distant lunar mass
pushes and pulls our oceans
while rolling rocks roll.
Sixteen
Revolving around the Sun,
our big rock races through space,
and slightly to itself,
changes shape with quakes
and slides and storms
(don’t forget explosions)
as it (I mean Earth)
remains more permanent (imperfectly)
than
us.
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