Entry

Entry

Original Text
Carol Shields, Coming to Canada: Poems, ed. Christopher Levenson (Ottawa: Carleton University Press, 1992): 19.
1Grandpa who died young kept
2a diary of sorts which was really
3just a record of the weather
4or how often he was obliged
5to have his roof repaired
6or when his taxes went up
7or the latest news of City Hall
8but once, a Sunday, in the year 1925
9he entered a single word: woe
10It shimmers uniquely on the ruled page
11so small it makes us wonder and squint
12but large enough in its inky power
13to unsettle his young-manly script
14and throw black doubt on other
15previous entries: weather tip-top
16or gingko on Crescent Ave.
17and even darker doubt
18on us
19   who seize this word
20   woe -- eagerly, eagerly,
21   making it ours
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2010
Rhyme
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Special Copyright

"Entry" © copyright the Estate of Carol Shields. Printed gratis,
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with permission of her Estate. Any other use,
including reproduction for any purposes,
educational or otherwise, will require explicit
written permission from the Estate of Carol Shields.