About A Boy

Patti Smith

Toward another

he has gone

to breathe an air

beyond his own

toward a wisdom

beyond the shelf

toward a dream

that dreams itself



about a boy

beyond it all

about a boy

beyond it all



from the forest

from the foam

from the field

that he had

known

toward a river

twice as blessed

toward the inn

of happiness



about a boy

beyond it all

about a boy

beyond it all



from a chaos

raging sweet

from the deep

and dismal street

toward another

kind of peace

toward the great

emptiness



about a boy

beyond it all

about a boy

beyond it all



[ ]

I stood among them

I stood alone

boy boy

just a boy

just a little boy

[ ]

just a little boy

who will never grow