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By Franz Wright

Think of   a sheep

knitting a sweater;

think of   your life

getting better and better.


Think of   your cat

asleep in a tree;

think of   that spot

where you once skinned your knee.


Think of   a bird

that stands in your palm.

Try to remember

the Twenty-first Psalm.


Think of   a big pink horse

galloping south;

think of   a fly, and

close your mouth.


If   you feel thirsty, then

drink from your cup.

The birds will keep singing

until they wake up.


Notes:

This poem originally appeared in "Poetry Not Written for Children that Children Might Nevertheless Enjoy," by Lemony Snicket.

“Auto-Lullaby” is reprinted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.

Source: Poetry (September 2013)

  • Living

Poet Bio

Franz Wright
Franz Wright was born in Vienna, Austria and grew up in the Northwest, the Midwest, and California. His father was the Pulitzer Prize–winning poet James Wright. He has taught at Emerson College and other universities, has worked in mental health clinics, and has volunteered at a center for grieving children. In his precisely crafted, lyrical poems, Wright addresses the subjects of isolation, illness, spirituality, and gratitude.

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