Friday, March 4, 2011

How to Say the Deer

By day a herd, but a river

by dark, a breath or clean shirt

 

drifting, and all we see is the night-spun

linen, the pale flick of sleeves.

 

At noon they are soft coats and tall

ears and tails, the dog-scent of salt and hide,

 

at night they are spindles and flax, eyes

like lake-silt, windy legs raining.

 

I know how darkness touches

us, makes new or ancient or wild.

 

 I left the biscuit of porchlight;

I dissolved in a crescent of sable

 

grasses, and does thrilled away,

a swanwing.

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