Travelling Standing Still/Going Somewhere

by Genevieve Taggard

GOING SOMEWHERE

Travelling standing still, I tookYears to do a pieceOf one Pacific Island. NowEverywhere I look—As if I stood on top the PoleAnd saw surrounding howThe horizon was travellingWhile I was standing still—The world goes round and round and IAm pure content to beIts tiny axis toward a skyThat points and centers, spinning by,In an earth that is, with me,From root's depth, into tree,By tiny atoms, back and forth,Shaken, a round trip out of earth,To earth's depth as before.I could not travel more.

One circle out of earth and backTakes seventy years at least;The other goes with mental speedAround to the level east.The atom of my mind can look While it is being takenUpon an arc the plumed trees look,Shaken and unshaken.So the two circles. MomentaryThe horizontal one.And the tall circle, too, the airyFlight to the flowing sun,Converge on this, my standing still,My travelling through space,Going somewhere, untilI arrive at no place.