Goodbye, I!

the Farmer drove his tractor where the soil had been tilled
planting Corn in rank and file from the silo to the lumber mill
he rode along in silence as he looked out past the Honeysuckle field,
watched the water turn the waterwheel
thinking about his daughter with affection,
her reaction of disdain
the day he replaced the blue Hydrangea
with the climbing frame
while her disappointed Sister looked on,
quiet as the snow, knowing well:
those who know don't talk
and those who talk don't know
but (tho she tried)
she couldn't help but sing!
the Tortoise in the wheelchair wrapped his forehead in a bandage
wore a plaster cast on his phony broken leg
so he'd get pushed around the sidewalk by the Zookeeper's assistant
with the Hummingbird observing from behind a yellow Flower,
flapping his tiny wings so fast you couldn't see them
with resentment for the Tortoise (which was clear by his expression)
but the Tortoise turned and smiled with a Peacefulness which proved
there's a movement in our stillness and however much we move
we're bound to stand completely still

so let's stand completely still!
come, Tortoise, standing still -
go, Hummingbird, my will
come, Tortoise, stumbling blind -
go, Hummingbird, my eyes
come, Tortoise, letting go
go, Hummingbird, ‘I know'
come Tortoise undefined –
go, Hummingbird, my mind
come Tortoise, empty hands -
go, Hummingbird, my plans,
come, Tortoise, come and die -
go, Hummingbird, my I
goodbye, I!