Mistaken Identity

Pastorelle 15

The Chinese
in the drought of 1876-1879 reportedly confused
rustling of dry leaves for rain

when the ear’s not yet adulterated/unadulterated in the morning
late at night or very early in the morning

it sounds like rain.

–John Taggart

More about John Taggart (from PBS News Hour):

Taggart has received a number of awards for his teaching and writing, among others the Commonwealth Award for Academic Service, the Chicago Review poetry prize and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships. He lives in the Cumberland Valley of south-central Pennsylvania. Taggart’s new book of poems, “Is Music,” will be published in October.

One Reply to “Mistaken Identity”

  1. I was taken with the poem when I first read it. It’s even more striking paired your pairing.

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