2Riv

erw

ww

.2Ri

ver.o

rg74

74 D

rexe

l DR

• U

nive

rsity

City

• M

O •

631

30 •

USA

2RV

18.2

(Win

ter 2

014)

The

2Riv

er V

iew

18.2

(Win

ter 2

014)

new

poe

ms b

yBr

i an

y Ba

rber

ino

Evan

s, B

enny

Bie

sek,

Bri

Bruc

eCh

ris e

n G

holso

n, D

.B. G

oman

, Rom

ana

Iorg

aEl

izabe

th M

ajer

us, K

elly

Nel

son,

Ann

mar

ie O

’Con

nell

Clau

dia

Rein

hard

t, an

d Cl

audi

a Se

rea

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 18.

2 (W

inte

r 201

4)

Abou

t 2Ri

ver

Sinc

e 19

96, 2

Rive

r has

bee

n a

site

of p

oetr

y an

d ar

t, qu

arte

rly

publ

ishin

g Th

e 2R

iver

Vie

w a

nd o

ccas

iona

lly p

ublis

hing

in

divi

dual

aut

hors

in th

e 2R

iver

Cha

pboo

k Se

ries.

2Ri

ver i

s also

th

e ho

me

of M

uddy

Ban

k, th

e 2R

iver

blo

g.

Rich

ard

Long

2Riv

erIS

SN 1

536-

2086

ww

w.2

Rive

r.org

ww

w.m

uddy

bank

.org

The

2Riv

er V

iew

18.2

(Win

ter 2

014)

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 18.

2 (W

inte

r 201

4)

Conten

ts

Clau

dia

Rein

hard

tSu

pers

on

War

ning

Bri

any

Barb

erin

o Ev

ans

Resid

ue o

f Tra

gedy

Benn

y Bi

esek

Not

Fly

nt a

t All

poet

sang

, dru

nk

Bri B

ruce

Fr

agili

tyTh

e Le

avin

g

Chris

en

Gho

lson

Show

ing

my M

othe

r Pho

tos o

n m

y Lap

top

the

Day a

er C

hrist

mas

Thre

e As

h Tr

ees B

ehin

d th

e Ca

thed

ral

Rom

ana

Iorg

a is

a Ro

man

ian-

Amer

ican

livi

ng in

Virg

inia

. A

grad

uate

of t

he U

nive

rsity

of M

inne

sota

cre

a v

e w

ri n

g pr

ogra

m, s

he c

urre

ntly

teac

hes E

nglis

h at

the

Thom

as Je

ff ers

on

High

Sch

ool f

or S

cien

ce a

nd Te

chno

logy

.

Eliza

beth

Maj

erus

live

s in

Urb

ana,

Illin

ois,

with

her

hus

band

, so

n, a

nd d

augh

ter.

She

is on

e-th

ird o

f the

ban

d M

otes

. Ke

lly N

elso

n te

ache

s Int

erdi

scip

linar

y St

udie

s at A

rizon

a St

ate

Uni

vers

ity. H

er p

oem

s hav

e ap

pear

ed re

cent

ly in

Ecl

ec c

a,

Foun

d Po

etry

Rev

iew

, Mix

ed F

ruit,

and

Tar R

iver

Poe

try.

Annm

arie

O’C

onne

ll re

sides

on

the

Sout

h Si

de o

f Chi

cago

. Her

w

ork

has a

ppea

red

in S

lipst

ream

, SO

FTBL

OW

, Ver

se D

aily,

and

W

hisk

ey Is

land

Mag

azin

e. H

er c

hapb

ook,

Her

Las

t Cup

of L

ight

, w

as re

cent

ly p

ublis

hed

by A

ldric

h Pr

ess.

Clau

dia

Rein

hard

t is a

free

lanc

e w

riter

, edi

tor,

and

tuto

r. He

r w

ork

has a

ppea

red

in F

ox C

ry R

evie

w, N

ebra

ska

Life

, Pla

ins

Song

Rev

iew

, The

Wisc

onsin

Rev

iew

, and

The

Un

dy

Seas

on: A

n An

thol

ogy

of N

ebra

ska

Wom

en P

oets

.

Clau

dia

Sere

a im

mig

rate

d fr

om R

oman

ia to

the

Uni

ted

Stat

es

in 1

995.

Her

poe

ms a

nd tr

ansla

ons

hav

e ap

pear

ed in

5 a

.m.,

Appl

e Va

lley

Revi

ew, M

erid

ian,

New

Le

ers

, and

Wor

d Ri

ot. H

er

book

s inc

lude

Ang

els &

Bea

sts,

The

Sys

tem

, and

A D

irt R

oad

Hang

s Fro

m th

e Sk

y.

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 18.

2 (W

inte

r 201

4)

Contrib

utors

Benn

y Bi

esek

has

con

trib

uted

to D

ead

Snak

es, K

erne

l Cri

c,

Mirr

ors M

agaz

ine,

and

Sic

k O

f The

Rad

io. H

e pe

rsev

eres

with

th

e Si

x N

ines

Hai

ku P

roje

ct w

hile

ass

is n

g w

ith c

ura

ng

read

ings

at

the

Poet

ry C

hurc

h in

San

Lui

s Obi

spo,

Cal

iforn

ia.

Bri B

ruce

hol

ds a

BA

in li

tera

ture

from

Uni

vers

ity o

f Cal

iforn

ia

at S

anta

Cru

z. H

er w

ork

has a

ppea

red

mos

t rec

ently

in T

he

Way

fare

r Jou

rnal

.

Bri

any

Barb

erin

o Ev

ans h

as b

een

publ

ished

in M

etap

hor a

nd

Que

st. S

he re

sides

in C

onne

c c

ut, w

here

she

is a

play

wrig

ht fo

r a

loca

l the

ater

com

pany

.

Chris

en

Gho

lson

is th

e au

thor

A F

ish T

rapp

ed In

side

the

Win

d an

d O

n th

e Si

de o

f the

Cro

w. H

e bl

ogs a

t noi

se a

nd si

lenc

e.

D.B.

Gom

an h

as a

n M

A in

hist

ory.

His

wor

k ha

s app

eare

d in

Di

tch,

Eye

Mag

azin

e, P

oetr

y M

ontr

eal,

Qua

rry,

and

Sto

ryac

ious

.

D.B.

Gom

anN

oah

in th

e Ki

tche

nW

ith P

erse

ph

Rom

ana

Iorg

aTh

e Li

onO

rchi

ds

Eliza

beth

Maj

erus

The

Wom

an w

ith a

Dre

ss o

f Sky

The

Wom

an w

ith a

Sui

t of N

ight

Kelly

Nel

son

Repa

iring

Our

Bro

ken

Furn

iture

Sand

ston

e

Annm

arie

O’C

onne

llYo

u Ca

n Ta

ke A

ny B

ody

A Si

ngle

Bird

Wai

ts o

n th

e Em

pty

Clot

hesli

ne

Clau

dia

Sere

aTh

e Fl

ower

of B

lood

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 18.

2 (W

inte

r 201

4)

2. 100,

000 fl o

wer

s ope

n in

Syr

ia,

a fi e

ld o

f ble

edin

g po

ppie

s,

and

in e

very

squa

re o

f eve

ry c

ity,

on e

very

stre

et,

and

tv sc

reen

,

with

eve

ry sc

ream

and

exp

losio

n.

And

the

wor

ld w

atch

es th

e pe

tals

unfu

rl,th

e br

eath

taki

ng sp

ecta

cle,

agai

n an

d ag

ain.

No

one

can

stop

it,

and

the

wor

ld b

loom

s w

ith p

ain.

A fl o

wer

of b

lood

ope

ns o

n ea

rth

and

you

can

see

it fr

om sp

ace.

Clau

dia

Sere

a

The fl o

wer

of b

lood

A

er I

mra

n Q

ures

hi’s

inst

alla

on

at th

e M

et

New

Yor

k, 2

013

1. A fl o

wer

of b

lood

ope

nson

the

roo

op

over

look

ing

Cent

ral P

ark

and

anot

her o

ne o

n th

e as

phal

t bel

ow,

next

to th

e bl

ack

re m

arks

and

the

li le

girl

’s sli

pper

.

Sire

ns w

ail

ever

y m

e a fl o

wer

of b

lood

open

s in

the

city

,in

a h

ospi

tal r

oom

,

or a

t hom

e,in

my

fath

er’s

hear

t.

Oth

er

mes

, it

open

s in

silen

ce,

in th

e fa

ce o

f the

dyi

ng c

hild

and

the

face

of t

he m

othe

r hol

ding

him

,

and

in th

e m

outh

of t

he g

unth

at h

is br

othe

r hol

ds.

Clau

dia

Rein

hard

t

Supe

rs

on W

arni

ng

“Cov

er y

our m

outh

whe

n yo

u ya

wn,

or s

pirit

s

will

fl y

into

you

r bod

y,”Gr

amm

a sa

id a

s we

wee

ded

and

wat

ered

, pic

ked

an

d pr

uned

in th

e ga

rden

.Ev

il sp

irits

fl y

into

my

eigh

t-yea

r-old

bod

y?Ev

il lik

e th

e sn

ake

in th

e ga

rden

of E

den?

May

be th

ere’

s a sn

ake

in G

ram

ma’

s gar

den:

stac

cato

tong

ue a

bre

ath

away

from

mud

-cov

ered

toes

wai

ng

for m

e to

pas

s its

shad

owy

hole

. If

evil

spiri

ts fl

ew in

to m

y bo

dy, s

lithe

red

into

my

soul

,th

en I

mig

ht b

ecom

e a

snak

e—

fore

ver g

roun

ded—

eyes

nev

er b

linki

ng. A

nd w

hen

the

heav

ens y

awne

d an

d st

retc

hed

at d

awn,

my

spiri

t w

ould

soar

into

the

sky

and fl y

into

th

e su

n’s fl

am

ing

body

and

it w

ould

swal

low

me

who

le.

Benn

y Bi

esek

Not

Fly

nt A

t All

Her f

ace

was

far t

oo ro

uge.

Ther

e w

as a

fuse

lage

clo

se b

y. I

hear

That

they

chu

rn u

p sh

it cl

ose

by,

Whi

ch le

ads t

o th

e ne

ighb

orho

odSm

ellin

g lik

e it

does

. Wha

t doe

s it

Do fo

r me?

Asid

e fr

om n

othi

ng,

Not

muc

h. I

gues

s I c

ould

repe

atM

ysel

f: ta

ke a

sled

ge to

a To

yota

’sAb

dom

en. I

am

far t

oo p

roud

To b

eg. S

hit,

bruh

: bee

n to

Ven

ice

Befo

re it

succ

umbe

d. H

erFa

ce w

as fa

r too

roug

e –

dise

ased

,

Fran

kly.

Hon

estly

, tho

ugh,

with

The

shit

they

chu

rn u

p cl

ose

by?

I am

ge

ng

ahea

d of

mys

elf m

ade

Cour

tesy

of s

omeo

ne d

arlin

g. W

hen

The

crow

s fl y

ove

r, br

othe

rs li

sten

.

Annm

arie

O’C

onne

ll

A si

ngle

bird

wai

ts o

n th

e em

pty

clot

hesl

ine

feve

rishl

y sh

akin

g th

e ra

in off

his w

ings

.Yo

u sit

in th

e pa

rk a

nd w

ait

for t

he so

und

of th

e ba

bygi

rl’s l

augh

ter i

n be

twee

n th

e w

ind

a e

r the

man

pre

tend

s to

kick

her

as sh

e co

mes

swin

ging

dow

n fr

omth

e sk

y. A

er y

ou h

ear i

t,a

man

from

acr

oss t

he st

reet

toss

eshi

s bag

of g

arba

ge o

ut th

e ca

r win

dow

and

it la

nds i

n so

meo

ne’s

fron

t yar

d. H

e w

aits

for h

is fa

ther

to h

ug h

im, o

r at l

east

touc

h hi

m, l

ike

that

dog

wai

ts th

ere

by th

e yo

ung

boy

as h

e w

aves

a s

ck

in fr

ont o

f his

mou

th. T

he d

rool

runs

dow

nhi

s fur

ry th

roat

. His

teet

h cl

ench

and

miss

. He’

s onl

y a

whi

mpe

ror

two

away

.

Annm

arie

O’C

onne

ll

You

can

take

any

bod

y an

d ge

t it t

o st

op m

ovin

g. B

utw

hat s

eem

s s ll

and

soun

dles

sw

aits

. Li

ke th

at m

an in

the

driv

er’s

seat

tas

ng

all t

he se

cret

bits

of h

is ow

nal

iven

ess.

Wat

ch o

ut fo

r tha

t girl

dig

ging

thro

ugh

her p

ocke

ts—

your

pas

t fl ie

s off

her l

ike

spar

ks.

Betw

een

all t

he b

odie

s,on

e m

ust b

e br

imm

ing

with

cou

rage

. Som

eone

mus

t sur

vive

us a

ll. A

wom

an is

way

up

ther

ein

the

very

last

win

dow

with

not

hing

on b

ut a

dim

ligh

t. Sh

e’s a

bout

to re

mak

ehe

rsel

f the

n sle

ep.

Benn

y Bi

esek

poet

sang

, dru

nk

the

ocea

n is

out t

here

.w

e ar

e sw

imm

ing

in it

.yo

u ha

ve b

ills t

o pa

y.i h

ave

bills

to p

ay.

let u

s bur

n th

e bi

lls.

let t

hem

cha

in u

s dow

n.a

riot t

o be

hea

rd,

no d

oubt

.a

trai

n ru

ns, u

nder

grou

nd.

the

ocea

n ha

s bill

s, to

o.it

burn

s the

m fa

ster

, tho

ugh.

it ha

s no

chai

ned

part

s.it’

s a ri

ot, f

or su

re.

i dou

bt n

o tr

ain

will

com

e fo

r me.

if it

does

, the

n i

will

run

away

.i c

anno

t fi n

d th

e w

ays t

o en

d th

e da

y.

Bri B

ruce

Fragility

From

my

mot

her

I lea

rned

how

win

e sw

ims i

n th

e ve

in,

wha

t hap

pens

whe

n th

e va

quita

die

s,ho

w to

boi

l mea

t fro

m b

one

to m

ake

chic

ken

soup

.Li

ke h

er, o

en

I am

s rr

ed fr

om sl

eep

by th

ough

t, no

t dre

am.

A fr

enzie

d ra

p at

the

thin

doo

r a b

ecko

nto

follo

w h

er in

to th

e su

mm

er g

arde

n,w

e lis

ten

to th

e bi

rds—

nigh

thaw

k in

the

oak,

moc

king

bird

in th

e un

derb

rush

.W

e bu

sy o

urse

lves

won

derin

g w

hat d

ark

plac

ebe

com

es th

e be

d of

the

crow

.

In th

ese

mom

ents

,w

e ar

e su

dden

ly a

war

e th

at o

ur h

eart

s are

bea

ng—

ther

e is

som

ethi

ng la

rger

than

our

selv

es.

And

know

ing

the

frag

ility

of i

t all,

we

spea

k th

e la

ngua

ge o

f mor

talit

y.

Kelly

Nel

son

Sand

ston

e

Whe

n a

cany

on is

slot

eno

ugh.

Whe

n yo

u ca

n pu

t one

boo

t

on o

ne w

all,

your

oth

er fo

otup

the

othe

r, w

ell t

hen

that

can

yon’

s lik

ely

a w

hist

ler.

I hea

rd it

fi rs

t whe

n I w

as tw

elve

hiki

ng w

ith m

y da

d. I

star

tled,

act

ually

jum

ped.

Dad

laug

hed.

“Th

ink

ther

e’s a

trai

nro

und

the

bend

?” H

e w

asn’

t lik

e th

e te

ache

rs

in sc

hool

who

exp

lain

thin

gs.

He ju

st k

ept w

alki

ng, o

ne c

runc

hing

step

a e

r ano

ther

. I h

eard

it ju

st la

st w

eek,

with

my

girl,

ove

rnig

h n

g in

Ant

elop

e

Cany

on. N

ow th

ere’

s a b

eaut

y of

a w

hist

ler.

A re

al m

usic

ian

that

one

.

And

whe

n it

cam

e up

that

lip

to g

lass

bo

le m

oan

and

my

girl

star

tled

besid

e m

e, I

whi

sper

ed, t

he c

anyo

n’s

singi

ng to

you

, bec

ause

you

are

that

bea

u fu

l.

Kelly

Nel

son

Repa

iring

Our

Bro

ken

Furn

iture

I am

tryi

ng to

tell

him

why

I am

tryi

ng to

tell

him

wha

t I lo

veab

out h

im. I

’ve

pulle

d ou

t

our t

wel

ve y

ear o

ldvo

ws t

hat r

ead

now

as IK

EA in

stru

c o

ns in

Sw

edish

coar

seni

ng, g

ore

in y

ou-s

vang

two

dots

ato

p an

O so

und

like

shut

eye

spr

eten

ding

to sl

eep

coar

seni

ng, g

ore

in y

ou-s

vang

the

line

thro

ugh

an O

soun

ds li

ke m

y ca

rsk

i er

ing

an ic

y la

ke

I am

soun

ding

it o

ut, s

tep

by st

epsc

rew

turn ght

ensc

rew

turn ght

ena

smal

l bro

ke-n

eck

wre

nch

in h

and

I am

tryi

ng to

tell

him

but h

e is

gone

. I h

ave

gone

. Our

hom

eis

gone

. The

O in

no

scar

red

by p

ock

mar

ks.

The

O in

no

slash

ed in

hal

f.

Bri B

ruce

The

Leav

ing

By th

e he

avy

glas

s doo

rsyo

u kn

eel,

nake

d, to

gat

her s

ca e

red

clot

hes,

your

dar

k sil

houe

e a

shad

owag

ains

t the

vio

let d

awn.

I k

now

this

shap

e yo

ur b

ody

mak

esag

ains

t the

sky.

A le

af fa

lls fr

om th

e bl

ack

oak

tree

.I s

ee a

fl as

h of

rust

-red

—th

e ro

bin’

s bre

ast

befo

re th

e w

indo

w. Y

ou b

rush

the

hair

from

you

r for

ehea

d.So

mew

here

alo

ng th

e av

enue

a m

achi

ne

is br

eath

ing,

and

I wat

ch th

e st

eady

rise

and

fall

of y

our b

are

ches

t.

I hol

d m

ysel

f bac

k, o

nly

to re

ason

—w

ere

I a d

og c

urle

d in

you

r lap

,w

ould

you

hav

e he

ld m

e th

en?

Will

you

rem

embe

r me

whe

n yo

u ar

e go

ne, a

s Ire

mem

ber s

prin

g as

the fi r

st sn

ow fa

lls?

At y

our p

assin

g of

the

beds

ide:

your

dim

pled

skin

, the

smel

l of s

ea sa

lt.I t

urn

away

from

fain

t rus

tling

sin

the

smal

l kitc

hen,

the

quie

t unl

atch

of t

he d

oor.

Bri

any

Barb

erin

o Ev

ans

Resi

due

of T

rage

dy

Cert

ain

thin

gs h

ave

happ

ened

her

eth

at m

akes

us t

hink

ther

e’s a

man

—an

uns

pecifi e

d, sl

ight

ly ta

ll Ca

ucas

ian

mal

e, a

t the

win

dow

ever

y ni

ght.

Cert

ain

thin

gs h

ave

happ

ened

, whi

chm

akes

us l

ock

our d

oors

, and

he

has

tool

s to

brea

k in

and

he

saw

us a

t mar

ket,

cros

sing

the

stre

et a

nd w

e di

d no

t see

him

.He

follo

wed

us h

ome

and

we

do n

ot o

we

anyo

nem

oney

,no

adu

ltery

,w

e ha

ven’

t sto

len.

The

Mal

tese

lap

dog

mus

t see

him

in th

e tr

ee’s

shad

ow th

at sh

e ba

rks a

t and

the

child

ren

don’

t kno

w w

hy th

ey a

re n

o lo

nger

defi

ant

incl

aspi

ng th

eir m

othe

rs h

ands

. N

o on

e he

re is

fi t t

o ju

ror.

The

men

try

to c

omfo

rt,

“lig

hten

ing

does

n’t s

trik

e tw

ice

in o

ne sp

ot,”

and

the

wom

en d

o no

t lea

veho

me

a e

r dar

k w

ithou

tth

eir m

en.

Eliza

beth

Maj

erus

The

Wom

an w

ith a

Sui

t of E

arth

It’s t

oo m

uch

for m

ost o

f her

occ

asio

ns,

but s

he w

ears

it m

ore

and

mor

e. S

he la

ys it

on th

e fl o

or a

t nig

ht, a

nd in

the

mor

ning

it’s e

asy

just

to sh

rug

hers

elf b

ack

into

it.

It ke

eps h

er w

arm

in w

inte

r and

coo

lin

the

heat

of s

umm

er. B

ut it

is h

eavy

,al

way

s den

se a

nd lo

amy

or b

aked

thic

k,cr

acki

ng a

ll ov

er w

ith d

ry ri

vule

ts.

She

carr

ies i

t on

her b

ack

and

on h

er h

ips,

bear

s it a

s she

wea

rs it

. Whe

re sh

e’s b

een

it le

aves

smud

ges o

f mud

, cru

mbl

esof

bla

ck so

il, in

dro

ught

a d

us n

g of

dirt

.

Sh

e lo

ves t

hat i

t kee

ps h

er g

roun

ded.

But i

n it,

she

does

n’t s

trid

e or

try

to ru

n.

Sh

e sh

ambl

es. S

he sh

uffl e

s her

feet

.Sh

e’s g

iven

up

on k

eepi

ng h

er sh

oes c

lean

. By

a e

rnoo

n, sh

e fe

els d

rug

dow

n. In

the

early

even

ing,

it’s

all s

he c

an d

o to

kee

p up

right

.Sh

e do

esn’

t wan

t to

sleep

in it

, but

she’

s re

d,so

re

d sh

e dr

ops d

own

in d

ream

less

slee

p.

Eliza

beth

Maj

erus

The

Wom

an w

ith a

Dre

ss o

f Sky

It’s t

here

in h

er c

lose

t. Sh

e do

esn’

t wea

r it o

en.

On

days

she

does

, the

day

is d

iff er

ent.

Smal

l chi

ldre

n ru

n th

eir fi

nge

rs a

long

her

hem

,m

en st

are

fran

kly

at h

er u

nass

umin

g br

east

s.Sh

e fi n

ds a

ligh

t han

d on

her

shou

lder

, a w

oman

who

has

nev

er to

uche

d he

r bef

ore.

The

han

dlin

gers

, fi n

gers

fann

ing

into

clo

ud.

In it

, she

’s su

bjec

t to

the

wea

ther

.In

the

mor

ning

, the

ligh

t ski

rt g

low

s with

wav

esof

May

suns

hine

. Puff

y w

isps d

ri a

cros

s her

hips

and

thig

hs, g

athe

ring

in th

e bo

dice

in c

loud

ypr

ofus

ion.

By

a e

rnoo

n, th

e w

hole

dre

ss is

slat

egr

ey, a

hum

id e

mbr

ace.

She

lays

dow

n fo

r a n

apin

a b

ed o

f mist

and

ligh

t win

d, d

ream

s of fl

yin

g. At

dus

k, sh

e ta

kes a

wal

k al

one.

She

dri

sfa

mili

ar si

de st

reet

s, n

oddi

ng a

t nea

rst

rang

ers w

ho sm

ile in

the

fadi

ng li

ght.

Thei

r dog

s snu

ffl e

for s

mel

ls, n

ot se

eing

or sc

en n

g he

r. Sh

e an

d he

r dre

ss a

re d

ark

amid

the

dark

ness

, but

she

cros

ses w

ithou

tfo

lly, w

ithou

t cau

on.

She

is n

ot a

frai

d.

One

yea

rdo

wn,

seve

ngo

ne a

nd n

ow th

ere

are

mar

atho

ns a

nd sc

hola

rshi

psw

ith n

ames

on

them

whi

ch a

re n

ow st

reet

sign

san

d Je

nny

sleep

s with

a g

un in

her

nig

htst

and—

Such

a p

re y

requ

iem

, an

iden

ty w

hich

can

not

be ri

nsed

, ref

uses

to b

e un

-sco

rche

d,th

at c

anno

tfa

ll

from

the

tree

s in

autu

mn.

Chris

en

Ghol

son

Thre

e As

h Tr

ees b

ehin

d th

e Ca

thed

ral

The

way

the

win

d cu

rves

ar

ound

one

ash

- fu

ll ye

llow

—

an

d th

e ne

xt o

ne e

xplo

des.

F

all o

f lig

ht: s

ame

light

th

at tr

aile

d th

e pl

umm

et to

hel

l: Lo

ve tu

rned

in

side

out.

A ru

sted

iron

spik

e dr

iven

int

o th

e m

iddl

e rin

g of

a st

ump.

Bla

ck w

inge

d,

chth

onic

silh

oue

e a

cros

s s ll

-gre

en g

rass

.

And

the

ants

, the

ant

s, h

ow th

ey re

build

the

wor

ld e

ach

nigh

t.

A m

an w

ith a

bla

ck c

owbo

y ha

t pi

cks a

n ab

ando

ned

whi

te ri

bbon

off

an e

mpt

y be

nch,

tw

irls i

t.

Bel

ls to

ll th

e qu

arte

r hou

r.

Rom

ana

Iorg

a

Orc

hids

My

nigh

ts a

re n

ow fu

ll of

dar

k co

ats

bu o

ned

up o

n em

p n

ess.

Blac

k sh

oes c

arry

ing

noth

ing

wal

k ou

t the

doo

r eac

h m

orni

ng.

I wak

e up

to la

yers

of b

ricks

arou

nd m

y bo

dy, e

ach

day

one

mor

e la

yer,

the

cat

alre

ady

how

ling

on to

p of

my

head

—a

mad

wom

an.

The

cat m

ight

as w

ell b

e de

ad,

for a

ll th

e go

od it

s shr

ieki

ng w

ill d

o. I h

ave

this

wat

ch in

my

pock

et—

smoo

thas

sea-

glas

s, p

erfe

ct. I

t doe

sn’t

wor

k.I t

ake

it ou

t eve

ry so

o e

n.It

alw

ays s

how

s the

righ

t m

e. So

on it

will

be

daw

n. H

ungr

y ac

hes

will

circ

le a

roun

d m

y kn

ees,

smal

l vul

ture

s,ai

min

g fo

r the

hei

ghts

of t

his s

tern

rock

.Ea

ch d

ay su

ch a

n Ev

eres

t. S

ll,

they

sail

quic

kly

thro

ugh

thei

r ow

n st

orm

s.M

y he

ad in

the

clou

ds, I

mus

t loo

k in

vinc

ible

. Do

wn,

dow

n to

the

valle

ysof

con

tent

ed h

ouse

wife

ry a

nd fu

ll be

llies

,th

e m

outh

s of c

hild

ren

open

ing

like

orch

ids,

cal

ling,

cal

ling.

Rom

ana

Iorg

a

The

Lion

Ev

ery

ange

l is t

errif

ying

.

Rilk

e He

com

es in

the

dark

, bre

aks d

oors

,m

uscl

es h

is w

ay th

roug

h w

indo

ws.

His w

ings

wra

p ar

ound

my

hear

t lik

e sin

.Hi

s wor

ds ru

n th

roug

h m

y bl

ood

like

bloo

d. Th

e m

orni

ng a

er,

an a

bsen

ce

has f

alle

n ac

ross

the

bed—

a ca

vern

of f

ear.

Even

rum

pled

,th

e m

issin

g fe

athe

rs p

rove

me

insig

nifi c

ant.

Whe

re is

the

lion

who

will

eat

of m

y he

art?

Whe

re is

the

lion

who

will

dre

am in

my

skin

,st

retc

h hi

s paw

s out

of t

his l

oose

hide

, his

limbs

alre

ady

heav

yw

ith sl

umbe

r? W

here

is th

e lio

n’s s

hado

w,th

e on

ly o

ne I

can

look

at a

nd n

ot g

o bl

ind?

Thic

k-pe

lted,

wel

l-fed

, it m

ust r

est e

lsew

here

,its

man

e ga

ther

ing

dark

ness

, the

wei

ght o

f its

win

gsac

hing

ly m

ine.

Chris

en

Ghol

son

Show

ing

my

mot

her p

hoto

s on

my

lapt

op th

e da

y a

er

Chris

tmas

Ev

ery

me

I sho

w th

em to

her

I n

o c

e th

e sa

me

thin

g: so

few

face

s.

Tree

s, sn

ails

in w

alls,

shel

ls, p

a e

rns o

f lic

hen

on ro

ck, r

ock

an

d m

oss,

a sn

owm

an

with

seaw

eed

hair,

Sw

anse

a Ba

y. S

he li

ghts

up

whe

n sh

e se

es a

face

. “W

ho is

that

?”

She

has s

een

thes

e ph

otos

bef

ore,

so m

any

mes

,

ha

s for

go e

n. T

his f

orge

ng

is he

r she

lter,

cr

adle

s her

in th

e da

rk.

W

hat w

as it

she

wan

ted

whe

n sh

e st

arte

d ou

t?

*

Ba

re tr

ees f

ollo

w m

e ho

me.

Cros

sing

the

Dela

war

e in

to N

ew Je

rsey

, up

287

to th

e N

ew Y

ork

stat

e lin

e. A

ll th

e w

ay,

th

e ta

ntal

izing

pa

ern

of b

are

bran

ches

.

Stor

ies,

rune

s:

I h

ave

spen

t my

life

de

sper

atel

y tr

ying

to re

ad th

em, k

now

ing

th

ere

is no

ans

wer

, ac

ng

as if

the

answ

er is

s ll

ther

e, ju

st o

ut o

f rea

ch.

D. B

. Gom

an

Noa

h in

the

Kitc

hen

Life

bei

ng w

hat i

t is,

one

dre

ams o

f rev

enge

.

Gau

guin

He lo

oks a

t the

stov

e cl

ock,

cou

n n

g off

the

hou

rsfo

r the

big

day

. Cha

os in

the

kitc

hen—

pots

fi lle

dw

ith w

ater

for w

ho k

now

s how

long

; sha

rp u

tens

ils

to so

rt th

e fr

eeze

-drie

d pa

ckag

es—

lots

of b

ack-

up,

two

of e

very

thin

g, e

ven

the

herm

aphr

odite

s in

a pa

il.

He’s

pric

ked

each

one

for b

lood

sam

ples

too,

kee

ping

a ce

ntrif

uge

by th

e fr

idge

; his

eyes

a m

icro

scop

ew

atch

ing

for d

ange

rous

mut

a o

ns; t

he ra

in o

n th

e ro

offo

rty

bars

of k

ick-

ass b

lues

with

him

on

the

ham

mer

;hi

s hom

e a

vess

el, h

is he

art i

mm

orta

l, a fl o

a n

g pa

rabl

e.

They

cou

ldn’

t be

save

d; d

egen

erat

e, in

diff e

rent

, or j

ust

mee

k, re

ady

to g

ive

up a

nd d

ecay

—un

like

the

thra

shin

gon

es h

e ad

mire

d, e

x n

ct b

efor

e hi

s m

e; w

ashe

d aw

ayor

bur

ied

in m

ud, t

heir

cove

nant

smas

hed

on th

e ro

cks,

he la

ughs

by

the

popp

ing

toas

ter—

this

eart

h is

all m

ine.

D. B

. Gom

an

With

Per

seph

He lo

ved

her r

ed h

air—

the

dyes

of H

.—cu

tsh

orte

r in

the

heat

wav

es. S

he w

as h

otin

her

bat

h ro

be d

anci

ng fo

r the

cur

sed

like

him

; her

mot

her w

as si

ck, h

ard

loav

esof

salty

bre

ad m

ould

y on

the

coun

ter e

ver

since

she

le ;

her f

athe

r in

the

clou

ds c

hase

dsw

ans t

o rid

e. T

his w

as h

is de

scen

t, st

rings

reso

nant

, gui

ding

to h

er to

rch

and

his t

ears

whe

n he

pla

yed

her h

is bl

ues o

n an

ele

ctric

guita

r; he

had

to lo

ok b

ack

whe

n he

got

up-

stai

rs, h

er li

zard

tong

ue fi

ring

crac

ked

skul

ls.

Ligh

tnin

g sp

lit h

er d

own

the

mid

dle,

usin

gpo

meg

rana

te se

eds a

s birt

h co

ntro

l in

the

base

men

t whe

re h

er fu

rnac

e br

ande

dhi

s han

ds so

he

coul

dn’t

touc

h an

othe

r; he

r ch

ildre

n w

ere

sprin

g fo

r a tr

ibe

ovul

a n

gfo

r not

hing

, fer

lity

mas

ks fu

nny

at a

moo

n,en

dang

ered

of e

a n

g th

eir o

wn

bloo

d, e

xo-

skel

eton

s bre

akin

g in

the

slash

-and

-bur

nrit

uals

thre

aten

ing

his b

acky

ard,

its p

lum

san

d ch

errie

s rip

e fo

r can

ning

. Wild

fl ow

ers

he a

te ra

w so

he’

d ha

ve c

olor

in th

e da

rk,

brea

thin

g sm

oke

and

ash

for a

tart

retu

rnto

her

bar

ren

beau

ty w

hen

the

bulb

s boi

led

cold

whi

te a

t her

feet

; bra

cke

ng

him

—br

iefl y

—

with

her

toes

he

gave

up

play

ing

to k

ill p

laci

dM

orph

eus f

orev

er so

he

coul

d w

ear h

is fa

cean

d sle

ep d

own

ther

e in

all

the

embe

r sea

sons

.