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Sonnets of Scorpio

Sonnets of Scorpio

by Tom Marshall

You told me he stood at the window
and wept the ending of his innocence
outlined on the lamplit world
the rain falling soundless before him
and would not turn until you turned away
and would not speak

and I
would rather you forgot that day
that singular budding of pain
in the rich may

and I
would come to you clear-hearted
serene in the brilliant winter
the dark shape that wept at the window

About this Poem

Cover for The Essential Tom Marshall

This poem was taken from The Essential Tom Marshall, which you can find, along with other works by the author, in our catalogue.

About the Poetry Blackboard

The Poetry Blackboard showcases poems curated by Kingston's Poet Laureate and written by Kingston poets. There's a new poem every month, written by poets living and dead, historical and contemporary, published and unpublished, adults and children, giving full range to the cultural voice of Kingston. Started in 2015 by Helen Humphreys, the Poetry Blackboard has been continued since 2019 by Jason Heroux.

We wish to thank Helen Humphreys, Kingston's second Poet Laureate, for her generous support of emerging and established poets in Kingston through library programming and our Poetry Blackboard project. Throughout her four years as Poet Laureate, Helen curated a digital collection of poetry to showcase the talents of local creators of all ages, both historic and contemporary. Helen also offered several opportunities for emerging poets to develop their craft, offering group workshops and one-on-one mentorship. Her active engagement with the library and community has been greatly appreciated.

In 2019 we welcomed the incoming Poet Laureate, Jason Heroux, who continues to curate the Poetry Blackboard and to develop new community programming.

Previously Published Poems