Marian Calabro

Marian Calabro writes poetry, essays, plays, and history books. Her work has been aired by NPR and published in Brushfire, Italian Americana, Peregrine, The Smart Set, and Rutherford Red Wheelbarrow annuals #1-16. Based in New Jersey, Marian leads creative writing workshops through the Montclair Public Library. https://mariancalabro.com and https://medium.com/@ThePracticalMourner

But I want to carry the boulder

But I want to carry the boulder

Carrying the boulder gives me something to do

Carrying the boulder gives me everything to do

Peering around the boulder tells me where to look

Is that snow in the air or flower petals

They feel the same when they hit the boulder

The boulder has an aura that I lack

The dog follows at my side

I can’t drop the boulder because it will scare the dog

Green grass makes a good place to set the boulder down

But I want to carry the boulder to a hill

I want to see the boulder roll

The boulder will roll down a steep hill

The boulder will thunder and fall silent

The boulder will settle in the valley

At home with other boulders

I won’t be able to tell my boulder apart

My boulderless arms will feel light

But where will I go without my boulder

Can I retrace my steps with a field of emptiness

In front of me

Will the dog remember

Should I roll after my boulder

Should I uproot a tree

Try to carry that

Some days it’s hard to let go of anything