2Riv

erw

ww

.2Ri

ver.o

rg74

74 D

rexe

l DR

• U

nive

rsity

City

• M

O •

631

30 •

USA

2RV

17.3

(Spr

ing

2013

)

J. S.

Bel

ote,

K. R

. Bar

ger,

Rand

olph

Brid

gem

an, C

harle

s Ces

sna

Kath

y Da

vis,

Jean

nine

Hal

l Gai

ley,

Chr

is e

n G

holso

nKa

ther

ine

Mitc

hell,

Jam

es B

. Nic

ola,

Dia

na R

eave

sPh

ilipp

e Sh

ils, B

arba

ra W

uest

The

2Riv

er V

iew

17.3

(Spr

ing

2013

)

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 17.

3 (S

prin

g 20

13)

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

17.3

(Spr

ing

2013

)

Cove

r: C

ount

ry R

oad

© 2

013

by C

orie

Neu

may

er

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 17.

3 (S

umm

er 2

013)

Cont

ents

Char

les C

essn

aHa

ngin

g

K. R

. Bar

ger

Scar

ecro

w

J. S.

Bel

ote

Whi

te R

oom

Rand

olph

Brid

gem

anrv

guy

why

he

don’

t fl ip

peo

ple

off a

nym

ore

Foot

path

© 2

013

by C

orie

Neu

may

er

Jean

nine

Hal

l Gai

ley,

a S

ea le

201

3 Ja

ck S

traw

Writ

er, i

s the

Po

et L

aure

ate

of R

edm

ond,

Was

hing

ton.

She

is th

e au

thor

of

thre

e bo

oks o

f poe

try:

Bec

omin

g th

e Vi

llain

ess,

She

Ret

urns

to

the

Floa

ng

Wor

ld, a

nd U

nexp

lain

ed F

ever

s (fo

rthc

omin

g).

Chris

en

Gho

lson

is th

e au

thor

of t

he n

ovel

, A F

ish T

rapp

ed

Insid

e th

e W

ind

(Par

thia

n 20

11),

and

On

the

Side

of t

he C

row

(H

angi

ng L

oose

Pre

ss 2

006;

Par

thia

n 20

11).

He c

an b

e fo

und

(infr

eque

ntly

) at h

is bl

og: n

oise

& si

lenc

e.

Kath

erin

e M

itche

ll ho

lds a

n M

FA in

Cre

a v

e W

ri n

g fr

om th

e U

nive

rsity

of M

issou

ri—Sa

int L

ouis.

She

wor

ks p

rofe

ssio

nally

as

an

Alex

ande

r Tec

hniq

ue te

ache

r. Sh

e al

so te

ache

s Arg

en n

e Ta

ngo

at W

ashi

ngto

n U

nive

rsity

in S

t. Lo

uis w

ith h

er h

usba

nd.

Jam

es B

. Nic

ola

has p

revi

ously

pub

lishe

d in

2Ri

ver,

Atla

nta

Revi

ew, T

ar R

iver

, Tex

as R

evie

w, a

nd e

lsew

here

. His

book

Pla

ying

th

e Au

dien

ce w

on a

Cho

ice

Awar

d, a

nd h

e ha

s also

won

the

Dana

Lite

rary

and

Sto

ryte

ller P

eopl

e’s C

hoic

e aw

ards

for p

oetr

y.

Dian

a Re

aves

gre

w u

p in

Ala

bam

a al

ong

the

bank

s of t

he

Cha

aho

oche

e Ri

ver.

She

a e

nds t

he U

nive

rsity

of A

rkan

sas a

s an

MFA

can

dida

te in

poe

try

wri

ng.

Her

poe

ms h

ave

appe

ared

in

Box

car P

oetr

y Re

view

and

Tar R

iver

Poe

try.

Phili

ppe

Shils

is a

phy

sicia

n as

sista

nt in

Dec

atur

, Illi

nois.

His

poet

ry h

as a

ppea

red

or is

fort

hcom

ing

in A

lba,

BO

DY, E

limae

, Hy

perle

xia

Jour

nal,

Ra le

, Six

th F

inch

, and

else

whe

re.

Barb

ara

Wue

st h

olds

an

MFA

from

Uni

vers

ity o

f Cal

iforn

ia,

Irvin

e. H

er p

oem

s are

pub

lishe

d in

Bel

oit P

oetr

y Jo

urna

l, Ci

ncin

na P

oetr

y Re

view

, Cro

ssCu

rren

ts, L

aure

l Rev

iew

, The

Par

is Re

view

, Win

d, W

iscon

sin A

cade

my

Revi

ew, a

nd e

lsew

here

.

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 17.

3 (S

prin

g 20

13)

Cont

ribut

ors

K.R.

Bar

ger w

as b

orn

and

raise

d in

rura

l Virg

inia

. She

cur

rent

ly

resid

es in

Bos

ton.

J. S.

Bel

ote

is an

MFA

can

dida

te a

t Virg

inia

Com

mon

wea

lth

Uni

vers

ity. H

is po

ems h

ave

appe

ared

in A

droi

t Jou

rnal

, The

Co

rtla

nd R

evie

w, a

nd M

ead

Mag

azin

e.

Rand

olph

Brid

gem

an g

radu

ated

from

St.

Mar

y’s C

olle

ge o

f M

aryl

and

and

is th

e re

cipi

ent o

f the

Edw

ard

T. L

ewis

Poet

ry

Prize

. He

has t

hree

col

lec

ons

of p

oem

s: S

outh

of E

very

whe

re

(200

5), M

echa

nic

on D

uty

(200

8), a

nd T

he O

dd Te

stam

ent

(fort

hcom

ing)

.

Char

les C

essn

a ha

ils fr

om w

este

rn N

orth

Car

olin

a an

d no

w

resid

es in

the

Pied

mon

t with

his

wife

and

coc

ker s

pani

els.

His

poet

ry m

ost r

ecen

tly a

ppea

red

in th

e N

orth

Am

eric

an R

evie

w

and

is fo

rthc

omin

g in

The

Bro

ken

Plat

e.

Kath

y Da

vis i

s the

aut

hor o

f Hol

ding

for t

he F

arrie

r (Fi

nish

ing

Line

Pre

ss 2

007)

. She

has

bee

n pu

blish

ed in

Bar

row

Str

eet,

Blac

kbird

, Dio

de, T

he H

udso

n Re

view

, The

Mas

sach

use

s

Revi

ew, a

nd T

he S

outh

ern

Revi

ew. S

he li

ves a

nd w

orks

in

Rich

mon

d, V

irgin

ia.

Danc

ing

Tree

s © 2

013

by C

orie

Neu

may

er

Kath

y Da

vis

No

Rain

for a

Spe

llO

pen

Wat

er

Jean

nine

Hal

l Gai

ley

The

End

Thin

gs I

Lear

ned

in W

ai n

g Ro

oms

Chris

en

Gho

lson

Dias

pora

Ever

y Tr

ee Is

So

ly F

allin

g

Kath

erin

e M

itche

llYo

ur H

ouse

Jam

es B

. Nic

ola

You

See

Dian

a Re

aves

A M

othe

r Con

fess

ing

Teet

h an

d Fe

athe

rs

Phili

ppe

Shils

alon

e w

ith m

y da

ught

er in

the

hous

ehe

y he

y pr

e y

bab

y

Barb

ara

Wue

stTh

e Re

al W

orld

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 17.

3 (S

prin

g 20

13)

your

inbo

x, a

nie

ce w

rites

in c

yber

spac

e in

a p

arro

t’svo

ice,

one

she

mad

e up

and

ass

igne

d a

hum

an n

ame,

Rona

ld, a

nd a

cou

ntry

of b

irth,

the

mod

erat

e U

K, a

las!

We

have

a fo

rmal

exc

hang

e in

whi

ch h

e po

kes f

un a

t

our w

ays o

f sta

ying

in to

uch

(em

ail o

ff end

s his

soul

)an

d w

onde

rs a

bout

a sp

ecie

s tha

t han

gs o

nto

a di

stan

ce

he h

as to

rele

arn,

spre

adin

g hi

s cla

ws o

ver l

e e

red

keys

that

“fl y

” hi

m to

Bra

zil to

set t

he re

cord

stra

ight

.

Barb

ara

Wue

st

The

Real

Wor

ld

Just

whe

n yo

u th

ink

you’

ve b

een

on th

is ea

rth

too

long

som

ethi

ng h

appe

ns to

mak

e it

all b

rand

new

—a

mad

e

thin

g or

per

sons

bor

n, li

ke th

e w

oman

ove

r the

re b

undl

edag

ains

t the

col

d w

alki

ng fr

om th

e sid

e do

or to

war

d th

e

barn

that

just

mig

ht c

olla

pse

if th

e w

ind

pick

s up,

how

she

and

the

land

scap

e re

min

d yo

u of

the

char

acte

r and

se n

g off

ere

d in

that

nov

el y

ou re

ad w

ith it

s aff a

irs,

secr

ets,

susp

icio

us d

eath

s, a

ll se

en th

roug

h th

e ey

es o

f a

boy

who

is n

ow a

gro

wn

man

reca

lling

hav

ing

seen

too

muc

h ba

ck in

thos

e da

ys w

hen

his f

athe

r did

wro

ng w

ith

the

wom

an fr

om th

e fa

rm w

ho fr

ied

the

boy

som

e eg

gs

on th

e ve

ry sa

me

day

and

arriv

ed in

his

drea

ms t

hat n

ight

.

------

----

Ther

e’s t

he b

ook,

ther

e’s t

he li

fe, t

here

’s th

e th

ing

that

save

s, a

n em

ail,

say,

sent

to y

our a

ddre

ss sa

ying

you

r

best

frie

nd fe

ll in

love

with

a m

an w

ho st

udie

s pla

nts

and

she

is no

long

er lo

nely

or s

ad, a

nd ju

st b

elow

, in

Char

les C

essn

a

Han

ging

I a

m le

ha

ngin

g as

the

appl

e ha

ngs

at th

e hi

ghes

t poi

nt o

f the

tree

.So

man

ypr

ied

loos

ebe

com

e m

ash

unde

r the

hoo

ves o

f cow

s.

Whe

n da

ys

grow

col

d,th

e su

nlig

ht la

cks

a ce

rtai

n ha

rdne

ssin

the

early

mor

ning

.G

radu

ally

colo

r cha

nges

from

rudd

y re

dto

dul

l bro

wn

and

gray

.

Look

up,

look

,I a

m tu

rnin

g id

ly in

the

win

d,ev

en a

s the

last

leav

es fa

ll,an

d th

e co

ws l

ope

inse

nsib

ly to

war

ds th

e ha

y.

K. R

. Bar

ger

Scar

ecro

w

A e

r you

die

dI a

lway

s tho

ught

I co

uld

take

the

blac

k an

d w

hite

pa

rty

dres

s han

ging

in th

e cl

oset

ou

t to

the fi e

ldw

hen

I nee

ded

good

thin

gs to

gro

w—

the

good

m

es it

had

seen

wou

ld st

and

ther

e lik

e a

scar

ecro

w w

arni

ng off

the

bird

s brin

ging

the

wor

ms,

the

bad

unse

ling

thou

ghts

to

feed

this

daug

hter

’s so

rrow

.By

the

end

you

wer

e as

bon

yas

the

shou

lder

shap

ed w

ire,

hang

ing

that

favo

rite

dres

s;it

was

shin

y bl

ack

with

whi

te la

ce

edgi

ng a

cros

s you

r cle

avag

eas

you

dan

ced

with

Dad

dy—

Show

ing

off t

he d

ress

.Th

e bo

om

wou

ld sp

in o

ut

like

a tw

irl o

f dar

k un

iver

se,

that

wou

ld e

vent

ually

col

lide

with

all

you

love

d br

eaki

ng

dow

n th

e da

ys, d

inne

rs, d

anci

ngle

avin

g yo

u so

ver

y w

idow

edan

d re

ady

to g

o, th

at th

e ca

ncer

in y

our m

iddl

e be

cam

e a

vort

ex

and

like

a st

ar y

ou, y

our l

ifeth

e liv

es o

f you

r dau

ghte

rs,

your

hou

se a

nd h

ome,

al

l you

had

, die

d ou

t—

Phili

ppe

Shils

hey

hey

pre

y b

aby

woo

dy g

uthr

ie’s

daug

hter

cat

hy d

ied

in a

fi re

a

er h

e w

rote

her

swee

t sim

ple

song

san

d sa

ng th

em w

ith a

pla

in v

e an

d pl

eadi

ng to

ne“w

ho’s

my

pre

y b

aby

(hey

hey

pre

y b

aby)

”

luci

a st

ops a

t the

top

of a

step

or a

cur

ban

d as

she

clut

ches

vag

uely

for s

ome

help

I k

now

that

we

toge

ther

lost

the

man

date

of h

eave

nw

oody

and

luci

a an

d ca

thy

and

me

a du

st b

owl a

nd th

e ce

iling

fan

rhyt

hmof

the

locu

sts t

hat p

ersis

t all

even

ing

the

wea

ther

roils

on

boili

ng h

eat o

r mea

n co

ld

I sm

ell t

ange

rines

and

tast

e w

ater

mel

ons

the

chill

on

my

tong

ue th

e ta

ng in

my

nose

an

d th

e bi

er p

leas

ure

of b

eer

and

the

rock

ing

of a

chi

ldra

pid

and

acce

lera

ng

stea

dy a

nd m

onot

onou

san

d w

ithou

t com

fort

fran

c a

nd c

licki

ng a

nd c

lack

ing

Phili

ppe

Shils

alon

e w

ith m

y da

ught

er in

the

hous

e

whe

n th

ere

are

leav

es

shim

mer

ing

she

igno

res m

epr

eocc

upie

d.

at th

e w

indo

w

in th

e be

droo

m

the

clos

est s

he’ll

get

to a

tree

hou

se

i hav

e to

get

in h

er fa

ceto

get

a sm

ile.

the

win

ter s

now

is so

met

hing

to lo

ok

forw

ard

to.

we’

ll be

bur

ied

in th

e ne

utra

l lig

ht.

So ri

ght n

ow a

s I d

rive

byI d

rive

by a

ll th

ose

days

th

at a

ctua

lly d

id n

ot m

a e

r.Th

e ho

use

is no

w a

nd w

ill a

lway

sst

and

in th

e di

stan

ce.

The fi e

ld in

fron

t of i

t is e

mpt

y ex

cept

for b

irds r

ising

up

li le

wor

ms o

f mem

ory—

danc

ing

your

life

, the

clo

set,

hats

an

d gl

oves

, bab

y te

eth

and

love

le e

rs,

abov

e th

e bl

ack

dres

s with

the

brea

thy

edge

s he

like

d so

muc

h—its

twirl

ing

now

gon

e—

I s ll

see

it ha

ng th

ere

like

a su

icid

al w

ish.

J. S.

Bel

ote

Whi

te R

oom

T

houg

hnu

mer

ous

the

leav

eslin

ed w

ith w

hite

a

re n

ot e

noug

hto

cut

the

dark

f

rom

them

& so

on

ly se

em

the

stup

ida

ert

houg

ht o

f moo

n

th

at is

the

a e

rtho

ught

of s

unth

at is

t

he fr

eckl

es o

n m

y ar

mI h

aul

fro

m c

hild

hood

.

From

Rho

de Is

land

w

hen

I hel

da

conc

h sh

ell

to

my

ear

& ig

nore

d th

e oc

ean

& li

sten

ed fo

r

the

loud

ness

that

live

d in

me

& d

id n

ot so

und

lik

e m

eor

the

hear

tbea

tof

thud

ding

app

les

in th

e or

char

dth

e m

orni

ng

wou

ld re

veal

thro

ugh

the

num

erou

s lea

ves

& fo

g

Dian

a Re

aves

Teet

h an

d Fe

athe

rs M

y gr

andf

athe

r dra

nk h

alf a

bo

le o

f Jac

k Da

niel

’sth

e da

y he

had

all

his t

op te

eth

pulle

d.Th

e ne

xt w

eek

he d

rank

the

othe

r hal

f, ha

d hi

s bo

om

te

eth

pulle

d.He

nev

er g

ot d

entu

res,

and

the

man

cou

ld e

at a

car

rot.

Whe

n he

die

d, y

ou c

ould

see

whi

te b

enea

th h

is th

in g

ums.

I’d n

ever

thou

ght a

bout

the

bone

ther

e, o

r his

mac

awsh

ellin

g pe

anut

s for

him

in th

e ev

enin

gs, r

emin

ding

him

John

ny C

arso

n’s o

n, P

a,he

r cry

and

her

shril

l, bl

ue w

ings

spre

adin

gev

en a

er h

e’d

gone

.

Dian

a Re

aves

A M

othe

r Con

fess

ing

I was

wro

ng w

hen

I sai

d yo

ur v

oice

car

ried

me

away

. List

enin

g to

you

was

not

hing

like

trav

el,

noth

ing

like

ge n

g lo

st. T

hose

mor

ning

s as y

ou sa

ngW

hat l

angu

age

shal

l I b

orro

w to

than

k Th

ee…

? I i

mag

ined

you

ther

e at

the

pian

o re

ci n

gdi

rec

ons

to a

war

m b

lue

lake

.Bu

t I n

ever

wan

ted

to g

o.N

ow I

see

your

voi

ce in

stea

das

han

ds th

at h

eld

me

whe

re I

stoo

d rin

sing

the

brea

kfas

t dish

es, y

our s

ong

a co

ld ri

vule

t, I’l

l say

, with

a g

ray

cran

e,so

and

uns

ure.

& It

’s al

l so

unim

port

ant n

ow.

So u

nim

port

ant.

Th

is w

indo

w&

the

dull

eart

h

of w

ind

& le

aves

it gi

ves y

ou.

T

his w

hite

room

yo

u tu

rn b

ack

to

with

not

hing

in it

b

ut a

pia

noyo

u w

ould

pla

y m

adly

If it

was

not

miss

ing

m

ost

of it

s key

s

& o

n fi r

e—

fi llin

g yo

ur lu

ngs

w

ith th

e bl

ack

mus

ic th

at w

ill c

onsu

me

you.

Rand

olph

Brid

gem

an

rv g

uy

he b

ough

t a u

sed

1976

bre

ak-w

ind

w

ith sh

ag c

arpe

ng

and

woo

d pa

nelin

g th

at re

sem

bles

the

insid

e of

ev

ery

best

wes

tern

hot

el ro

omth

at h

e’d

take

n hi

s fam

ily to

on

eve

ry v

aca

on

they

’d e

ver h

adth

e ho

meo

wne

rs a

ssoc

ia o

n te

lls h

im h

e ca

n’t p

ark

it in

his

own

dr

ivew

ay w

hich

he

does

any

way

ju

st to

piss

off

the

neig

hbor

sbe

caus

e th

is is

amer

ica

godd

amn

itan

d it’

s his

prop

erty

and

it’s h

is RV

ev

en th

ough

it’s

as ta

cky

as la

st y

ear’s

vaca

on

pict

ures

that

he

post

ed

on fa

cebo

ok o

f it p

arke

d in

fron

t of

the

gas s

ta o

n m

ade

of h

ub c

aps

or a

laba

ma’

s wor

lds l

arge

st o

pen

air fl

ea

mar

ket

or ra

lph’

s roc

ky m

ount

ain

oyst

eran

d co

rn d

og e

mpo

rium

but t

his y

ear b

ecau

se o

f the

risin

g co

st o

f gas

and

bec

ause

he’

s the

che

apes

tfu

ck i’

ve e

ver k

now

n

he p

acke

d up

the

fam

ily a

nd d

rove

al

l the

way

acr

oss t

own

to th

e su

per w

alm

art

whe

re h

e se

t up

cam

p in

the

park

ing

lot

and

spen

t his

days

shop

ping

at r

oss’

or p

ick

and

pay

or ri

ck’s

barg

ain

barn

and

his n

ight

s on

top

of h

is RV

in

a la

wn

chai

r with

a b

udw

eise

r m

akin

g fu

n of

the

redn

ecks

Jam

es B

. Nic

ola

You

see

You

see,

that

day

was

a b

eade

d cu

rtai

nto

a b

ack

room

whe

re y

ou c

ould

not

go

not t

hen

not t

hen.

Thou

gh I

had

been

you

hadn

’tan

d I w

asn’

t abo

ut to

dra

g yo

uno

r lea

ve y

ou th

ere

in th

e fr

ont r

oom

with

out m

eno

t the

n. Al

l I c

ould

do

was

tell

you

that

that

’s w

here

I’d

like

to g

ow

ith y

ou w

ith y

ouan

d le

t you

thin

k ab

out i

t aw

hile

so th

at m

aybe

you

’ll ta

ke m

y ha

ndor

touc

h m

y ro

belik

e Sc

roog

e to

Chr

istm

as N

ow an

d w

e’ll

goto

geth

erto

the

dark

bac

k ro

omon

e da

yan

d fl y

like

The

Pres

ent

and

see

clea

rer

all t

hrou

gh th

e ni

ght.

Kath

erin

e M

itche

ll

Your

Hou

se

Hunc

hed

leav

es fl

yac

ross

the

line

of b

ird tr

acks

in

snow

.

I sta

nd o

utsid

e th

e w

indo

ww

ishin

g yo

u w

ould

all

com

e ba

ck.

No

one

care

d if

the

rent

ed

mov

ies w

ere

good

.W

e ha

d th

e hu

mpi

ng d

og st

ory

and

the

back

less

dre

ss st

ory.

I ste

p in

clo

ser.

The

furn

iture

is c

over

ed w

ith sh

eets

like

ghos

ts p

layi

ng tw

ister

. Yo

ur d

arkr

oom

s ll

set u

pin

the

back

hal

lway

.

You

mad

e a

rare

prin

t,yo

ur so

n’s f

ace

unde

r a c

loth

in th

e co

rner

of t

he fr

ame.

His h

and

outs

ide

the

fabr

ic h

oldi

ng it

taut

, th

e su

rfac

e pa

le a

nd g

rain

ylik

e an

alm

ost e

mpt

y be

ach.

Rand

olph

Brid

gem

an

why

he

don’

t fl ip

peo

ple

off a

nym

ore

she

kept

her

righ

t tur

n sig

nal o

n fo

r 6 m

iles

befo

re h

e pu

lled

arou

nd h

erst

retc

hed

acro

ss th

e fr

ont s

eat t

o ro

ll do

wn

the

pass

enge

r win

dow

so th

at h

e co

uld

fl ip

her o

ff pr

oper

ly w

hen

his h

and

slipp

ed off

of th

e w

indo

w c

rank

and

his h

ead

got s

tuck

bet

wee

nth

e pa

ssen

ger s

eat a

nd th

e do

orfr

ame

by th

e m

e he

’d g

o e

n hi

s hea

d lo

ose

he’d

lost

con

trol

of t

he c

aran

d in

his

a e

mpt

to c

orre

cthe

ove

r cor

rect

edcr

ossin

g th

e m

ediu

m a

nd th

ree

lane

sof

traffi

c b

efor

e pl

owin

g in

toa

bob’

s big

boy

sign

that

fat r

ed h

eade

d bu

rger

ea

ng

fuck

erw

ith th

e st

upid

ass

grin

cam

e off

tha

t pol

elik

e an

oly

mpi

c di

ver i

n a

perfe

ct o

nean

d a

half

gain

er w

ith a

twist

and

crus

hed

the

top

of h

is ca

rso

that

it to

ok th

e m

arip

osa

coun

tyem

erge

ncy

resp

onse

team

four

and

a ha

lf ho

urs a

nd th

e ja

ws o

f life

to c

ut h

is du

mba

ss o

utth

en th

ey c

harg

ed h

im $

8,00

0 w

hich

caus

ed h

im to

get

beh

ind

so th

eyfo

recl

osed

on

his h

ouse

repo

sses

sed

his w

ife’s

car

so sh

e le

him

and

took

the

kids

beca

use

this

was

just

one

mor

eth

ing

in a

long

list

of s

tupi

d sh

itth

at h

e’d

done

Kath

y Da

vis

No

Rain

for a

Spe

ll

I kno

w h

e’s c

omin

g, th

e m

an w

ith th

e tr

acto

r,so

man

y fi e

lds a

roun

d m

e ha

rves

ted

alre

ady.

Flo

wer

hea

ds c

lose

to b

urs

ng

on th

e m

othy

out b

ack,

and

her

e an

d th

ere

the

reac

h of

pur

ple

clov

er, d

ande

lion.

Som

e m

es h

e cu

ts

the

crop

at n

ight

, hea

dlig

hts r

ude

thro

ugh

the

bedr

oom

win

dow

. The

bla

de a

nd ra

kela

ying

dow

n ro

w a

er r

ow w

hile

I a

em

ptto

slee

p. F

ield

mic

e an

d ne

s n

g bi

rds i

n fl i

ght,

and

you

by m

y sid

e, d

ream

ing

undi

stur

bed.

He

is ta

king

, you

wou

ld sa

y,w

hat’s

his.

The

hay

le f

or d

ays t

o dr

ybe

fore

it’s

bale

d an

d ha

uled

aw

ay. H

orse

sbe

ndin

g in

thei

r sta

lls to

feed

. I k

now

a w

oman

who

gat

hers

sum

mer

wee

ds, w

eave

s the

m

into

bun

dles

with

bu

ons

, nee

dle,

thre

ad. W

inte

r,w

hen

the

mus

e lu

rks i

n po

d an

d ro

ot,

she

pres

ses p

igm

ent f

rom

the

rem

nant

s,

brus

hes t

he m

eado

w o

nto

shee

ts o

f hom

emad

eEn

glish

ivy

pape

r. O

nce

in a

fore

ign

city

,

you

snuc

k us

pas

t an

arm

ored

tank

to re

ach

the

rest

aura

nt in

the

alle

y ju

st b

eyon

d. I

can’

t re

mem

ber w

hat w

e at

e, o

nly

the

war

m b

ienv

enue

of

the

chef

’s em

brac

e, th

e lu

sty

zest

with

whi

ch h

e de

liver

ed fo

od, p

late

s lad

dere

d

up h

is ar

ms,

the

soun

d of

silv

er sc

rapi

ng d

ishas

we

took

in w

hat h

e ha

d to

giv

e.

Chris

en

Gho

lson

Ever

y tr

ee is

so ly

falli

ng

A

trou

t lea

ps th

ree

feet

into

the

air,

burie

s its

elf

in

circ

le a

er c

ircle

, fol

ding

this

old

min

ing

tow

n

into

the

past

. Bui

ldin

gs b

lend

into

tree

s.

Your

fi ng

ers

tock

aga

inst

a p

olle

n-fi l

led

pine

con

e. A

bre

ath

of

yel

low

-gre

en sm

oke.

Late

r, ba

ck in

bed

,

ther

e w

as in

term

i en

t rai

n, sl

eep,

th

unde

r in

the

wak

e of

a h

umm

ingb

ird’s

win

gs.

Chris

en

Gho

lson

Dias

pora

Edge

of a

cle

arin

g,

a

lone

milk

wee

d st

alk.

Th

e po

d’s s

o ,

peel

ed b

ark;

four

seed

s s ll

insid

e.

I ope

n m

y ha

nd,

two fl o

at to

war

d cl

iff ro

cks.

Th

en, a

new

des

ire:

I’l

l tak

e th

em w

ith m

e,

rele

ase

the

seed

s on

th

e m

ount

ain’

s wes

t slo

pe.

*

One

land

s am

ong

brus

h.

O

ne tw

ists i

n la

st li

ght.

A

third

rem

ains

s ll

,

thin

king

who

se d

esire

?

Kath

y Da

vis

Ope

n W

ater

They

pus

h on

thro

ugh

the

swel

ls,th

e sw

imm

ers o

ff La

Jolla

.W

e tr

ack

them

, by

the

colo

rs o

f the

ir ca

psto

the

buoy

and

bac

k, c

augh

t up

in th

e ra

ce.

A do

lphi

n le

aps—

as if

we

coul

d fo

rget

w

hat t

eem

s bel

ow th

e su

rfac

e. To

day,

you

clas

ped

my

wris

t, ge

ntly

ov

er c

off e

e an

d to

ld m

e yo

u w

ere

sorr

y. H

arbo

r sea

ls ha

ve c

laim

ed th

e be

ach

at C

hild

ren’

s Poo

l, fo

uled

the

sand

. So

me

view

it a

s a c

rime,

but s

ll th

e to

urist

s com

e.

It’s a

smal

l thi

ng,

wha

t you

hav

e do

ne, a

pe

y g

rieva

nce.

The

swim

mer

s sha

king

off

the

wet

as th

ey e

mer

ge, t

he w

inne

rslin

ing

up.

How

fast

, yes

terd

ay,

we

jour

neye

d ou

t to

see

the

wha

les,

our s

mal

l boa

t buc

king

cho

pas

we

sear

ched

thro

ugh

the

bino

cula

rs

for s

pray

. I

can’

t for

give

you

yet

, th

ere’

s too

muc

hpl

easu

re h

angi

ng in

the

bala

nce.

The

sun

licks

moi

stur

e fr

om th

e br

eeze

and

salts

our

fl es

h—its

hea

t so

sinfu

lly d

elic

ious

.

Jean

nine

Hal

l Gai

ley

The

End

At th

e en

d of

our

stor

y, w

e ro

ll al

ong

with

the

prin

ce’s

proc

essio

n,or

wak

e up

to a

cas

tle fi

lled

with

frie

nds,

thei

r eye

s, to

o, w

ere

puck

erin

g at

the

light

.It

neve

r occ

urs t

o us

to fl

ee o

ur fa

tes.

A e

r all,

we

cann

ot sl

eep

fore

ver,

it’s n

ot o

ur ro

le; w

e m

erel

y re

st u

n l

we’

re to

uche

d –

or jo

stle

d –

awak

e by

the

right

man

or m

omen

t. Ho

w c

an w

e la

men

t wha

t we’

ve m

issed

,as

leep

in g

lass

coffi

ns a

nd b

riar-t

horn

ed p

rison

s?W

e’ve

no

ced

no

chan

ge, n

ot th

e w

ayth

e ci

zen

s see

m to

gla

re a

t us a

s we

pass

or th

e pr

ice

of a

pple

s. T

he g

uns t

he m

en c

arry

now

und

er th

eir c

oats

. Eve

n th

e ca

rts

seem

slee

ker,

prep

ared

to b

ustle

us i

nto

the

futu

re.

And

so w

e st

umbl

e in

to n

ew fa

tes,

on fe

et n

ot fa

mili

ar w

ith so

lid g

roun

d,s

ll w

ai n

g fo

r pill

ow m

arks

to fa

de fr

om o

ur fa

ces.

Gro

ggily

, we

turn

to th

e na

rrat

or fo

r dire

c o

n:a

er a

ll, a

ll ou

r liv

es w

e’ve

bee

n po

sing

for s

omeo

ne o

r oth

er. C

urta

in c

alle

d, w

e bo

w o

utan

d tr

y to

mak

e ou

r exi

ts g

race

ful.

It’s w

hat o

ur m

othe

rsw

ould

hav

e w

ante

d, th

eir v

oice

s ech

o:Tr

y no

t to

expe

ct to

o m

uch

mag

ic.

Jean

nine

Hal

l Gai

ley

Thin

gs I

Lear

ned

in W

ai n

g Ro

oms

That

we

are

like

anim

als:

we

like

to si

t alo

new

ith o

ur il

lnes

s, w

e w

ill se

ek o

ut th

e ch

air

in th

e co

rner

, or t

he b

ench

by

the

door

.Th

e sic

k ha

ve th

is in

com

mon

. Th

at o

ur a

nim

al p

arts

can

cha

nge

for n

o re

ason

–on

e w

oman

’s an

kles

swel

l out

of t

enni

s sho

es,

one

man

’s ar

m b

urst

s with

red

vein

s.He

arts

and

sple

ens w

ill b

e th

umpe

d fo

r size

like

li le

ro e

n m

elon

s. Th

at w

e pu

t our

selv

es in

the

hand

sof

oth

er a

nim

als,

not

ang

els,

that

occ

asio

nally

som

eone

in a

whe

elch

air

is fo

rgo

en,

unc

onsc

ious

, in

a ba

ck h

allw

ay.

That

som

e w

ards

are

lit w

ith p

ain

ngs

of fo

rest

s, a

nd th

at b

irdso

ng p

iped

inso

unds

alm

ost c

heer

ful.

Lolli

pops

in g

i sh

ops,

cer

amic

ki

ens.

That

wom

en c

an b

e ca

refu

lw

ith th

eir n

eedl

es o

n th

e ar

ms

of th

in c

hild

ren

and

the

elde

rly.

That

we

are fi n

ite –

that

eve

n th

e yo

ung

grow

relig

ious

whe

n fa

cing

the

dim

med

ligh

t,dr

awin

g pi

ctur

es o

f Jes

us, h

aloe

s of y

ello

w c

rayo

n. Th

at w

e ar

e no

t god

s,th

ough

we

may

sail

ahea

d of

our

bod

ies,

smili

ng, a

s if w

e w

ere.