Like a coffin in a procession whose corpse leaves A stealthy trickle of violets in its wake While Attica bids it a soft Good evening. Like some harrassed gardener bending down Among the cables and the skinflint stones Without hearing the passion of the bitter-orange When it cloaks itself in wind and beckons with the…
New snow onto old ice last night. Now, errand-bound to town, preoccupied with the mudge in his head, he applied his brakes too fast. And found himself in a big car out of control, moving broadside down the road in the immense stillness of the winter morning. Headed inexorably for the intersection. The things that…
The garden was entering the sea Cape of deep carnation Your hand was leaving with the tide Smoothing the sea's bridal gown Your hand was opening the sky. Angels with eleven swords Were sailing alongside your name Slashing through the flowery waves Down below the white sails leaned In quick northeasterly squalls. With the white…
This morning was something. A little snow lay on the ground. The sun floated in a clear blue sky. The sea was blue, and blue-green, as far as the eye could see. Scarcely a ripple. Calm. I dressed and went for a walk. Determined not to return until I took in what Nature had to…
trans. Greek Edmund Keeley Invulnerable body all naked so point-blank naked with the nipples still erect invulnerable to interior or exterior gunfire and that blue triumphant cunning and the wide trowel in hand covering the cement the smile of the second Christ. * * * Hidden behind the massive statue of Zeus he waits for the…
In those days, we were going places. But that Sunday afternoon we were becalmed. Sitting around a table, drinking and swapping stories. A party that'd been going on, and off, since Friday a year ago. Then Guy's wife was dropped in front of the apartment by her boy friend, and came upstairs. It's Guy's birthday,…
I can't stand it, he said. What other road? Season of the hungry dogs season of forgetfulness and memory season of disguises season of swindlers season of broken doors. I gave a penny to the blind man I climbed down from the stands stooped over unbuttoned my pants season of no raised flags. * * * That…
They waited all day for the sun to appear. Then, late in the afternoon, like a good prince, it showed itself for a few minutes. Blazing high over the benchland that lies at the foot of the peaks behind their borrowed house. Then the clouds were drawn once more. They were happy enough. But all…
Late summer breathed from earth and stones, Tall lupins probed the air, The Milky Way was combed-out light, The sheen off midnight's hair. I watched a long time in the yard The usual stars, the still And seemly planets, lantern-bright Above our darkened hill. And then a star that moved, I thought, And then it…
Spring 1985 - Digital