When I told you I would sculpt
your portrait from a potato,
I was thinking of the word relief,
and how its prints would differ,
indefinitely. Pieces of the potato
keep coming off into the ink
and there is the temptation to eat it whole.
This may be called self-absorption.
I knew a man who had his late dog stuffed
with its own fur and combined
with a bird in a manner that bisected
both animals down the center.
It was a small dog.
It was a large bird.
Together they won the prize
for most beloved animal.

 

 

 

 

 

II. UNDERNEATH CAVE CITY, KENTUCKY

When he said “cave system,” he meant
the human brain. So when we entered
Mammoth’s mouth our flashlights became the spark
and flash of synapses pulsed in the dark
space of the Rotunda, where we were most alone,
in the largest room of the longest cave system known
to anyone. Most of the cave is unexplored.
Likewise, he was & we were both uncarved,
partly blank. According to our guidebook,
nothing beyond plantlife here: albino algae, anemic
lace, but no blind fish. Of course this is all assumed:
that light never gets in & that each room’s
sealed tight. Each rock is left where it falls. Should
whole thirds close off, they’re closed for good.


VII. AT THE CAVE CITY WAX MUSEUM

Each dioramic version of the South has its own light,
dimming and flaring, to allow the appropriate
time lapses. Each story gets its due—we move from Edison
straight to Jesus. The disciples regard their wax bread,
and we are told the same man who posed for Jesus
also posed for Judas, but when he was Judas
he was older, something about the mouth was different.
Who knew they were from Kentucky? Who knew that later,
in less than a year, we couldn’t even speak to each other.
The light dims out as we walk toward the bloodless Bonnie Parker,
Jesse James, and a forgotten boxer, stopped mid-hook.
We witness the lone gunman as he’s shot on his way out of the bank.
That night, we take the hotel’s best suite
because there are no other guests.

 

 

 

 

 

I.

I am in the big green park which is green again and it is spring and I love
you and the park and the red birds in it. When you have birds in you

they are red and when it rains they eat enough for several years. Worms
become an offering to the sidewalks, or perhaps it is a performance,

two boys playing basketball, but it is really you and me who are
playing basketball but you are taller so you always win unless you let me

have the last word or one of yours. I would prefer that. Red birds are
positioning themselves in the field. They are coming closer and by the time

they get here, I’m in my room looking through all my things wondering
where you are. How many charges we’re going to get. I think you made the wind

blow harder because I hear something. If we get far enough south
we could grow new tongues, we could regard each other newly. When I mail this

it will contain paper and ink and those will make up a rendering of my house
just as they also make up certain declarations. I am not keeping anything

secret.Your night is becoming my morning and if we keep this up
we could be all the time in sunlight and even the weather wouldn’t bother us.

II.

I am in the big green park which is green again and it is spring and I love
where you are. How many charges do we get? You made the wind

have the last word or one of yours. I would prefer that red birds are
playing basketball but you are taller. So you always win unless you let me

become an offering to the sidewalks, or perhaps a performance,
a containment of paper and ink. Make-up, a rendering of my house,

which is red. When it rains they eat enough for several years. Worms have
you and the park and the red birds in it.When birds are in you they are

two boys playing basketball but it is really you and me who are
positioning themselves in the field. We are coming closer and by the time

we grow new tongues, we regard each other newly. When I mail this
secret, your night is becoming my morning and we keep

blowing harder because I hear something. If we get far enough south,
we could be all the time in sunlight and even the weather wouldn’t bother us.

But it arrives, and I’m in my room looking through all my things. I wonder
if it makes certain declarations, weather. I am not keeping anything.

III.

We could be all the time in sunlight and even the weather wouldn’t bother us.
You and the park and the red birds in it.When you have birds in you they are

an offering to the sidewalks, or perhaps a performance,
positions in the field. They are coming closer and by the time

I am in the big green park which is green again, it is spring and I love
playing basketball but you are taller so you always win unless you let me.

Blow harder because I hear something. If we get far enough south,
red and when it rains they eat enough for several years. Worms address

two boys playing basketball but it is really you and me who are
there, and we are getting charged. How many times have you made the wind

arrive? I’m in my room looking through all my things, wondering
how to make certain declarations like I am not keeping anything,

we could grow new tongues, we could regard each other newly. When I mail this,
please have the last word or one of yours. I would prefer that. Red birds are

secret. Your night is becoming my morning and if we keep this up
we will contain paper and ink. Those will make up a rendering of my house.

IV.

Have the last word: it’s one of yours. I would prefer that red birds are
in the big green park which is green again and it is spring and I love

containing paper and ink: those make up a rendering of my house
if we can be all the time in sunlight. Even the weather wouldn’t bother

two boys playing basketball but it is really you and me who are
new tongues: we can regard each other newly when I mail this.

Blow harder because I hear something. If we get far enough south,
(secret: your night is becoming my morning) and if we keep this up,

(red) and when it rains. They eat enough for several years, worms,
just as they also make up certain declarations. I am not keeping anything

in the field. They are coming closer and by the time positions
arrive, I’m in my room looking through all my things wondering,

offering. The sidewalks are performing.
Where are you? And how. You are wind-charged,

the park, the red birds in it.When you have birds in you they
play basketball.You are taller so you always win. Unless you let me.

 

 

 

 

  A man buys a helicopter online for cheap and receives notice that he must pay the shipping—the thing isn’t going to fly itself, and he doesn’t know the first thing about helicopters. Seconds after opening the notice, he engages in conversation with his boss. As she speaks, the man notices her dental work. He can’t stop staring at the way her mouth flashes when it’s all the way open, when she is on a roll. He begins to fall in love with his boss in secret and glances at her fillings when she is speaking. It works best when she stares out the window of their thirtieth-floor conference room, all that sun bounding around in her mouth. He considers saying something and thinks, “What beautiful flaws,” but what comes out is, “Do you floss?” which breaks something in both of them, but after a few days, they are able to look at one another again without thinking “human,” without becoming too involved with the sinew and clamp of teeth and gums to be able to discuss the reports and schedules they must press upon one another. After a week, she accepts, despite office protocol, his offer of a drink on Thursday. He can’t afford to take her out, but his helicopter has arrived. He says he’ll pick her up. He says she’ll know.