Each month, the San Francisco Public Library Web site, www.sfpl.org, will feature selected poems reflecting the theme of War and Peace on Our Streets.
To submit a poem or for more information about the project, see our News Release.
September Working Poet:
Tom McCarthy
San Francisco born Tom McCarthy has had poems published in many literary journals including California Quarterly, NEBO and Smartish Pace.
comprehend, find, endure
a twisted bag of chemicals
old and new, stale and spent
blood, hate and terror
give way to a broken thing
crumpled in the street
eyelids half-mast, jaw slack
don't touch it or speak to it
can't imagine what thoughts
are in his brain, on his mind
what words he'd use aloud
but sill he crawls out to
the sunny side of the street
instinct seeking in sunbeams
what warmth or comfort he can
comprehend, find, endure
what any animal craves
any animal
