Poetic habit:
writing at an hour of the morning,
while looking out the back window.
writing at an hour of the morning,
while looking out the back window.
Dewey goes outside to write
and sits barefoot on the cedar porch,
so that the outer weather—
and sits barefoot on the cedar porch,
so that the outer weather—
late April buds,
pair of finches chirping on a basswood branch
(male with reddish head—Dewey
pair of finches chirping on a basswood branch
(male with reddish head—Dewey
observing with apt precision)
matches the weather on the surface
of Dewey’s skin—their
matches the weather on the surface
of Dewey’s skin—their
hanging foot and bare knee
also part of the weather, are they not?
kitschy ardency already present
also part of the weather, are they not?
kitschy ardency already present
in the finches’ song
(red squirrel bounding across the lawn),
making Dewey want to pin
their heart like a big
Valentine (red squirrel bounding across the lawn),
making Dewey want to pin
to the top
of the power-line pole across the alley.
of the power-line pole across the alley.
