"Rhodes, Late Seventies"

By Paul Campanis

A Noun and a Verb

A noun and a verb together form a universe.
First stands the subject.
A noun.
What are you?
I am a noun!
There is nothing else to say.
Right after it,
after a bare space hiatus
shorter than a gap's instant,
the wave's lap,
appears the verb.
Run,
Sit,
play;
begging your pardon,
belch.
See?
The verb is the pigeon,
the dove of motion.
The saint stands.
The icon breathes.
The human gapes.
The grape shines.
Noun, verb.
Article introduces.
A plain maiden,
a sullen son.
A,
the,
for....
tomorrow another verb,
sail;
another noun,
boat.
Article not needed.
Sail boat.
Boat sails.


I was just standing there an hour or two by the water at the dock of
Rhodes. I remember just where it was. It is all we ever want to do. Go
traveling. Seeing and noting what the world looks like it is.
Greeks always waiting for the darn boat.
He has on him a dreamy face, a satchel, something to eat in a brown bag.
Moving is getting closer to the gods, don't you see? A motionless Greek is
not a Greek at all. He wishes the trip could begin now.