A short poem for a hot summer evening

[Michael]

This was read on the Writer's Almanac this morning and it struck me
enough that I had to go find it an read it again.
The poem was written by Howard Nemerov. Nemerov was a witty,
formalist. Born in NYC his younger sister was the photographer Diane
Arbus. Having read the first poem, I decided to add his most
anthologised poem as well.
I hope all are having a good summer now that it has finally and
belatedly arrived.
Yrs
Michael

The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler

What gives it power makes it change its mind
At each extreme, and lean its rising rain
Down low, first one and then the other way;
In which exchange humility and pride
Reverse, forgive, arise, and die again,
Wherefore it holds at both ends of the day
The rainbow in its scattering grains of spray.

"The Beautiful Lawn Sprinkler" by Howard Nemerov, from The Selected
Poems of Howard Nemerov. © Ohio University Press, 2003


A Primer of the Daily Round
by Howard Nemerov

A peels an apple, while B kneels to God,
C telephones to D, who has a hand
On E’s knee, F coughs, G turns up the sod
For H’s grave, I do not understand
But J is bringing one clay pigeon down
While K brings down a nightstick on L’s head,
And M takes mustard, N drives to town,
O goes to bed with P, and Q drops dead,
R lies to S, but happens to be heard
By T, who tells U not to fire V
For having to give W the word
That X is now deceiving Y with Z,
Who happens, just now to remember A
Peeling an apple somewhere far away.