The Stone Mason
By: Jan Schreiber
- He builds from local rocks that come to hand—
craggy, irregular, or water-worn—
and guided by a form he has in mind
but nothing like a plan, nothing so stern.
- Colors and sizes join haphazardly
except for some that draw themselves together;
some likely stones he has to throw away,
a few so small they are not worth the bother.
- And gradually the thing materializes,
assumes the shape he'd say he worked to build
although the details harbor some surprises
and there are places where he'd say he failed.
- A century from now all will be changed
except the pile of rocks that he arranged.