2RV

24.4

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ing

2020

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2Riv

erw

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2Riv

er.o

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74 D

rexe

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• Un

iver

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O •

631

30 •

USA

The

2Riv

er V

iew

24.4

(Sum

mer

202

0)

new

poe

ms

byJ.

T. L

edbe

tter

, Ant

hony

Agu

ero

Des

py B

outr

is, T

erri

Brow

n-D

avid

son

D M

Gor

don,

Mau

ra H

igh,

Pet

er L

eigh

t, Ke

ith L

ove

Sha

rona

Mui

r, Sa

rah

Stic

kney

, Pet

er W

aldo

r

Phot

o/H

ybrid

Imag

es

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 24.

4 (S

umm

er 2

020)

Abou

t the

Pho

togr

aphs

Cov

id19

. Pan

derm

ic. S

ocia

l dis

tanc

e. A

hel

l of a

sum

mer

.

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 p

ublis

hing

The

2Ri

ver V

iew

and

occ

asio

nally

pu

blis

hing

indi

vidu

al a

utho

rs in

the

2Riv

er C

hapb

ook

Serie

s. 2

Rive

r is

also

the

hom

e of

Mud

dy B

ank,

the

2Riv

er

blog

.

Rich

ard

Long

2Riv

er

ISSN

153

6-20

86w

ww

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ver.o

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dyba

nk.o

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book

.com

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m.c

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twitt

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wee

tRiv

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2wee

tRiv

er)

The

2Riv

er V

iew

24.4

(Sum

mer

202

0)

ISSN

153

6-20

86

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 24.

4 (S

umm

er 2

020)

Cont

ents

J. T

. Led

bett

erm

idni

ght a

t the

Old

Hav

ilke

Plac

e R.

R. 1

Ant

hony

Agu

ero

To B

eing

a M

anEl

egy

Des

py B

outr

isFo

urth

of J

uly

A W

arm

Win

d

Terr

i Bro

wn-

Dav

idso

nA

slee

pI G

limps

e, B

riefl y

, My

Dea

d Fa

ther

Am

ong

the

Cra

nes

D M

Gor

don

Long

ing

for M

ozar

t

Photo/Joe Raedle/Getty Images

D M

Gor

don

is th

e au

thor

of N

ight

ly, a

t the

Inst

itute

of

the

Poss

ible

, a fi

nalis

t for

the

Mas

sach

uset

ts B

ook

Aw

ard.

Sh

e’s

a M

assa

chus

etts

Cul

tura

l Cou

ncil

Art

ist F

ello

w in

fi c

tion,

two-

time fi n

alis

t in

poet

ry.

Mau

ra H

igh,

orig

inal

ly fr

om W

ales

, but

set

tled

now

in

Nor

th C

arol

ina.

Her

poe

ms

have

app

eare

d in

the

New

En

glan

d Re

view

, Sou

ther

n Re

view

, and

Tar

Riv

er Q

uart

erly

.

Pete

r Lei

ght h

as p

revi

ousl

y pu

blis

hed

poem

s in

AG

NI,

Bel

oit P

oetr

y Re

view

, Fie

ld, M

atte

r, Pa

ris R

evie

w, R

arita

n,

and

othe

r mag

azin

es.

Kei

th L

ove

is re

side

nt p

hysi

cian

in th

e D

epar

tmen

t of

Med

icin

e at

the

Yale

New

Hav

en H

ospi

tal i

n N

ew H

aven

, C

onne

ctic

ut. T

he p

oem

s he

re in

2Ri

ver m

ark

his fi r

st

publ

icat

ion.

Shar

ona

Mui

r s

the

auth

or o

f fou

r bo

oks

incl

udin

g In

visi

ble

Bea

sts,

a n

ovel

. Her

wor

k ha

s ap

pear

ed in

Ken

yon

Revi

ew,

The

New

Yor

k Ti

mes

, The

Par

is R

evie

w, a

nd e

lsew

here

.

Sara

h St

ickn

ey h

as re

cent

ly p

ublis

hed

poem

s in

C

razy

hors

e an

d th

e M

assa

chus

etts

Rev

iew

. Her

cha

pboo

k Po

rtic

o w

as s

elec

ted

by T

hom

as L

ux a

s 20

16 w

inne

r of

Emry

s Pr

ess’s

ann

ual c

ompe

titio

n. S

tickn

ey tr

ansl

ates

Ita

lian

poet

ry, a

nd is

Dea

n of

Dee

p Sp

rings

col

lege

.

Pete

r Wal

dor i

s th

e au

thor

num

erou

s bo

oks,

incl

udin

g W

ho T

ouch

es E

very

thin

g (S

ettle

men

t Hou

se),

whi

ch w

on

the

Nat

iona

l Jew

ish

Boo

k A

war

d. H

is w

ork

has

appe

ared

in

Am

eric

an P

oetr

y Re

view

, Col

orad

o Re

view

, Iow

a Re

view

, Pl

ough

shar

es, P

oetr

y D

aily

, Ver

se D

aily

and

els

ewhe

re.

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 24.

4 (S

umm

er 2

020)

Cont

ribut

ors

J. T

. Led

bett

er h

as p

oem

s in

Bel

oit P

oetr

y Jo

urna

l, Po

etry

, Pl

ough

shar

es, P

rairi

e Sc

hoon

er, a

nd T

he S

outh

ern

Revi

ew.

Old

and

Los

t Riv

ers,

was

pub

lishe

d in

201

2.

Ant

hony

Agu

ero

is a

que

er w

riter

in L

os A

ngel

es. H

is w

ork

has

appe

ared

in T

he B

anga

lore

Rev

iew

and

The

Tem

z Re

view

.

Des

py B

outr

is is

pub

lishe

d or

fort

hcom

ing

in A

mer

ican

Po

etry

Rev

iew

, Col

orad

o Re

view

, Cop

per N

icke

l, Pr

airie

Sc

hoon

er, S

outh

ern

Indi

ana

Revi

ew, a

nd e

lsew

here

. C

urre

ntly

, she

teac

hes

at th

e U

nive

rsity

of H

oust

on a

nd

serv

es a

s A

ssis

tant

Poe

try

Edito

r for

Gul

f Coa

st.

Terr

i Bro

wn-

Dav

idso

n is

the

auth

or o

f Rag

Men

, win

ner o

f Th

e Le

dge

Cha

pboo

k C

onte

st. R

ecen

t wor

k of

her

s ha

s ap

pear

ed in

Los

Ang

eles

Rev

iew

, Nor

th A

mer

ican

Rev

iew

, So

uth

Dak

ota

Revi

ew, a

nd T

riqua

rter

ly N

ew W

riter

s.

Photo/Matt Rourke

Mau

ra H

igh

And

the

Livi

ng Is

Eas

yC

lear

cut

Pete

r Lei

ght

The

App

eara

nce

of B

eaut

y in

Am

eric

aU

nsaf

e

Kei

th L

ove

Fish

Fry

Thur

sday

Pie

Shar

ona

Mui

rTh

e G

olde

n D

oor

Ligh

t of W

ande

ring

Sara

h St

ickn

eyC

heap

Cha

mpa

gne

Shap

es U

nder

a B

lank

et

Pete

r Wal

dor

Doi

ng th

e D

ishe

sM

agic

Tro

wl

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 24.

4 (S

umm

er 2

020)

Pete

r Wal

dor

Mag

ic T

row

el

Your

han

dbr

iefl y

on m

y ha

nd,

teac

hing

me

the

trow

el,

to le

ave

no tr

ace

of th

ein

stru

men

t,an

d to

ang

leev

eryt

hing

slig

htly

so li

quid

s w

on’t

pool

.I w

onde

r if y

ou’ll

notic

e th

e fa

int

cres

cent

moo

n I l

eft.

Will

it b

othe

r you

?It’

s w

axin

g,al

way

s.

Pete

r Wal

dor

Doi

ng th

e D

ishes

Your

pla

tes

are

all m

ism

atch

ed

as if

you

hav

e on

e fro

mev

ery

kiln

on

eart

hlik

e N

oah

colle

ctin

g an

imal

sTh

ey a

re a

ll ol

d so

eve

nth

e ug

ly o

nes

are

beau

tiful

like

the

rust

y kn

ife y

ou u

sew

hile

the

box

of te

mpe

red

Ger

man

bla

des

stay

s se

aled

On

one

plat

e yo

ur g

rand

mot

her

pain

ted

a hu

mm

ingb

irdan

d th

ough

you

love

it m

ore

than

any

obj

ect y

ou le

t it

take

its

plac

e on

the

tabl

eA

ccid

ents

don

’t w

orry

you

just

this

dar

keni

ng w

orld

and

so y

ou c

ook

for a

s m

any

peop

le a

s yo

u ca

n le

ttin

g th

em s

tay

late

ta

lkin

g an

d la

ughi

ng

and

you

let m

edo

the

dish

es

so I

can

skip

th

e da

ncin

g w

hen

it in

evita

bly

begi

ns

J. T

. Led

bett

er

mid

nigh

t at t

he O

ld H

avilk

e Pl

ace

R.R.

1

fath

er y

our t

ongu

e w

as a

saw

and

your

hai

ry a

rm a

t nig

ht u

sed

the

razo

r str

apas

I rep

eate

d go

d’s p

rom

ise

that

not

hing

wou

ld h

appe

n to

me

mot

her y

ou s

tood

in th

e da

rk k

itche

nbl

oody

rabb

its s

till i

n th

e si

nkth

e pi

ctur

e of

Jes

us s

him

mer

ing

in y

our t

ears

I wep

t und

er th

e co

vers

my

brot

her s

aid

that

he

wou

ld fi

x ev

eryt

hing

and

took

dow

n th

e 16

gau

geas

the

stra

p ca

me

dow

n an

d bi

rds fl e

w a

gain

st th

e w

indo

wta

king

me

with

them

ove

r the

farm

thei

r silk

y fe

athe

r cov

erin

g m

y si

ns

then

all

thre

e w

ere

gone

into

new

spap

ers

sogg

y on

law

ns in

sm

all t

owns

cru

sted

with

sile

nce

whi

le I

drea

med

of c

lean

whi

te s

heet

s an

d a

sink

full

of li

ght

from

the

sun

he k

ept a

t the

bot

tom

of h

is h

eart

Ant

hony

Agu

ero

To B

eing

a M

an

To b

e a

boy

agai

n is

to re

turn

to th

e ap

art-

men

t whe

n I w

as d

atin

g H

enry

,ju

st b

efor

e th

e en

d of

a fe

w y

ears

of m

y lif

e.

I am

bac

k in

the

apar

tmen

t with

my

cous

in.

The

only

tear

s ar

e fro

m a

bab

y. T

hey

are

not

min

e. W

hat d

oes

man

mea

n to

you

?

I am

hol

ding

the

blad

e th

e w

rong

way

—th

e ha

ndle

is m

eant

for t

he s

torm

to k

iss.

I hav

e al

read

y le

arne

d ho

w to

hol

d th

e bl

ade.

I was

inte

nded

for b

lood

. The

Lat

in b

oy.

The

quee

r boy

. The

boy

with

no

idea

s of

man

.I w

as in

tend

ed fo

r blo

od. I

’m a

frai

d of

my

dad.

The

bodi

es a

re th

e em

pty

ram

en p

acka

ges

stre

wn

acro

ss th

e co

unte

rs. M

y bo

dy,

it si

ts in

a d

iffer

ent c

ount

ry

whe

re th

e bo

dies

are

bod

ies

and

the

dila

tion

of th

e pu

pils

is th

e m

asc

resp

onse

.W

e ar

e ba

ck in

the

empt

y ap

artm

ent

whe

re m

y bo

dy w

asn’

t exp

ectin

g to

be.

Whe

re th

e m

an th

ing

to d

o w

as e

nd

my

life

for t

hose

nex

t few

yea

rs.

Sara

h St

ickn

ey

Shap

es U

nder

a B

lank

et

We

are

wor

ried

abou

t the

ani

mal

s th

ese

days

but i

t’s b

ecau

se w

e ar

e w

orrie

d ab

out c

ontr

ol.

Yes,

that

aci

d tr

ip w

as th

e w

orst

of

my

life,

but

the

gree

n ch

ile c

hees

ebur

ger

I ate

aft

erw

ard

was

tran

scen

dent

;it

rival

s si

ttin

g un

der T

usca

n sy

cam

ores

ea

ting

past

a in

thei

r dap

pled

ligh

tw

ith P

atro

. You

see

onl

y sh

apes

unde

r a b

lank

et w

hich

is w

hat i

t’s li

keto

look

at y

our r

elat

ions

hip.

You

can

mak

e ou

t the

art

icul

atio

nof

a s

houl

der,

the

heav

y, fu

sed

pelv

is. B

ut th

e m

omen

t mov

emen

tst

arts

you

may

as

wel

l be

look

ing

at le

aves

on

the

side

of a

ripe

gra

pecl

uste

r tre

mbl

ing

beca

use

a hu

ngry

bird

has

dive

d to

eat

them

, or a

bon

fi re,

or it

s sm

oke

clim

bing

the

sky.

Sara

h St

ickn

ey

Chea

p Ch

ampa

gne

Ever

yone

wan

ts to

bel

ieve

my

sist

er a

nd I

wer

e de

vast

ated

w

hen

my

fath

er to

ok a

mis

tres

s.M

y m

othe

r tol

d m

y si

ster

,an

d m

y si

ster

told

me.

The

clo

sest

my

fath

er g

ot to

fess

ing

was

to w

arn

me

off t

he m

arrie

d as

trop

hysi

cist

who

ent

ranc

ed m

ew

ith th

e fa

ntas

tic u

glin

ess

of h

is u

ngai

nly

face

. It w

as g

oing

grea

t, un

til h

e br

ough

t che

apch

ampa

gne

to th

e pl

ace

he h

ad in

Reh

obot

h B

each

.A

t 4am

I w

as w

oken

by

my

daim

on s

ayin

g lo

udly

“no.

” I r

an o

ne o

f the

bes

tru

ns o

f the

yea

r on

the

beac

h.

I wor

e m

y gr

een

silk

bat

hrob

e.

He

gave

the

me

the

lett

ers

of D

e B

eauv

oir t

o Sa

rtre

. I re

ad

the

who

le G

orgi

as a

loud

in th

e ca

rbe

caus

e it

was

my

hom

ewor

k.I d

on’t

rem

embe

r any

thin

g w

e at

e.

Ant

hony

Agu

ero

Eleg

y

At o

ne p

oint

I be

lieve

d in

God

, and

I kn

ewhe

exi

sted

bec

ause

Bra

d Pi

tt w

asn’

t sup

pose

d

to b

e be

autif

ul to

me

and

I tho

ught

it

prov

ed th

at G

od w

as a

jeal

ous

one.

I am

sitt

ing

on a

car

pete

d fl o

or o

f my

Tia’

sap

artm

ent.

I am

just

now

see

ing

the

beau

ty o

f the

out

line

of a

man

’s bo

dyfo

r the

fi rs

t tim

e. F

or th

e fi r

st ti

me,

play

ing

Cop

s an

d Ro

bber

s w

ith th

e bo

ysou

tsid

e m

eant

som

ethi

ng e

lse.

It m

eant

som

ethi

ng li

ke th

e bl

ood

insi

de

of m

e w

as s

omet

hing

as

prec

ious

as la

Virg

en d

e G

uada

lupe

app

earin

g on

the

tilm

a D

iego

was

see

n w

earin

g.

I am

just

lear

ning

that

con

dem

natio

n w

asev

ery

paus

e to

try

and

kiss

the

boy.

The

boy

wou

nd u

p be

ing

a sy

mbo

l for

fear

.A

t one

poi

nt, b

efor

e a

man

, I b

elie

ved

in G

od.

Des

py B

outr

is

Four

th o

f Jul

y

how

his

han

ds fo

und

your

wai

st, t

ight

enin

g //

on

you

//

the

ciga

rett

e-sc

ent /

/ of

his

bre

ath

as h

e le

aned

//

tow

ard

you

& y

ou le

aned

aw

ay /

/ &

he

mov

ed in

//

clos

er, a

pa

rent

hesi

s th

at ju

st k

ept b

endi

ng /

/ fo

ldin

g in

on

itsel

f //

until

it c

rush

ed w

hat l

ay b

elow

//

you

// y

our l

impi

sh fo

rm

// g

row

ing

cold

at h

is to

uch

// h

ow y

ou c

ould

n’t s

peak

//

as h

e lo

wer

ed h

is fa

ce /

/ to

ngue

thru

stin

g in

to y

our m

outh

//

thro

ugh

your

teet

h, /

/ as

he

trie

d to

take

you

fullb

ody

// in

to h

im /

/ &

you

clo

sed

your

eye

s //

don

’t cr

y do

n’t c

ry

// &

you

felt

the

air /

/ be

com

e a

cage

you

cou

ldn’

t esc

ape

// h

is li

ps /

/ lik

e po

ison

as

he k

illed

you

//

slow

ly /

/ &

the

dyin

g ju

st k

ept g

oing

Shar

ona

Mui

r

Ligh

t of W

ande

ring

Lucr

etiu

s so

ught

a c

ause

of m

ovem

ent b

esid

es th

e bl

ows

or w

eigh

t of c

ollid

ing

atom

s—th

e so

urce

, he

wro

te,

of o

ur in

born

cap

abili

ty to

act

free

ly.

He

thou

ght i

t was

a s

wer

ve o

f ato

ms,

like

rain

drop

s sl

ippi

ng o

ut o

f par

alle

l dow

n a

pane

.

And

whe

n on

e st

ill d

ream

sth

at w

hat t

he s

oul i

s fo

rced

to s

uffe

ras

thou

gh in

cha

ins,

mus

t hav

e a

reas

on—

that

too

is a

nat

ive

wan

derin

glik

e H

eise

nber

g’s

unce

rtai

n sh

imm

er b

etw

een

‘not

’ and

‘is.

’ Ve

nus,

foun

der o

f our

race

,w

e de

dica

te o

ur fr

eedo

m

to y

ou, w

ith th

e so

ul’s

impa

ssio

ned

erra

ncy

beyo

nd b

low

s an

d ch

ains

, bey

ond

wei

ght a

nd th

e gr

ave.

Yo

ur s

tar w

alks

des

olat

ion,

she

ddin

g ra

ys.

Shar

ona

Mui

r

The

Gol

den

Doo

r Te

n th

ousa

nd m

iles

in th

e go

ugin

g sh

oes

brin

g us

to th

e bo

rder

of s

peec

h, w

here

wha

t you

mea

nis

sw

allo

wed

in th

e m

irror

of l

ost f

aces

. Th

is p

hone

won

’t op

en th

e re

quire

d sc

reen

;th

e pa

sspo

rt’s

gone

, so’

s th

e w

alle

t.N

ight

is fa

lling

in a

fore

ign

city

that

has

one

bed

for r

ent i

n an

era

sed

hote

l.

Wha

t is

supp

osed

to b

eim

port

ant—

the

gold

en k

ey—

why

can

’t I r

emem

ber?

Can

you

rem

embe

r?

Des

py B

outr

is

A W

arm

Win

d

rust

les

the

leav

es(th

at s

ealik

e so

und)

with

wav

esof

hea

t ris

ing

from

the

asph

alt,

the

blac

k bu

rnin

g th

e so

les

of y

our f

eet (

wal

king

bar

efoo

tdo

wn

the

road

). A

gla

ss ja

rin

han

d, a

han

d re

achi

ng o

utto

war

d th

e gr

asse

s, th

e br

ambl

es,

hung

ry fo

r the

tast

e of

sum

mer

(and

wha

t tas

tes

mor

e lik

e su

mm

erth

an b

lack

berr

ies,

exc

ludi

ngth

e sm

oke

risin

g fro

m th

e hi

lls,

the

rem

inde

r tha

t whe

reve

rth

ere

is fi

re th

ere

is s

omet

hing

afl a

me?

). Sm

oke

so c

lose

it st

roke

s yo

ur h

air (

the

scen

tof

ines

capa

ble

heat

). Its

tast

eat

hom

e in

thro

ats.

And

it’s

hard

to te

ll th

is m

orni

ng fr

om m

ourn

ing

(with

this

hea

t, th

ese fl a

mes

,th

is s

mok

e, s

tran

glin

g ev

eryt

hing

).

Terr

i Bro

wn-

Dav

idso

n

Asle

ep

Fath

er, a

slee

p, b

ruta

lizes

his

bea

rd.

I str

oke

his

hand

, che

ck fo

r bre

ath.

H

is li

ds s

ag o

ver b

lood

shot

eye

s.

Aw

ake,

he’

ll ta

lk w

ith a

win

k,W

alk

with

a li

mp,

repe

at h

is li

ttle

cac

heO

f sto

ries

until

I ne

ed h

im

To n

ever

sto

p.

Mor

talit

y’s

a fa

st d

rain

, sw

irlin

gIn

to e

tern

ity o

ur fe

w p

altr

y lo

ves.

Fath

er, w

here

are

you

? Te

ll m

e an

othe

r sto

ry.

Com

e: to

uch

my

hand

. I lo

st y

ou in

the

dark

.

Kei

th L

ove

Thur

sday

Pie

I did

n’t h

ave

time

to p

ick

ever

y ap

ple,

just

th

ose

with

in re

ach

whe

n I d

rove

my

toe

into

the

core

of t

he b

ranc

hes

and

clun

g by

the

stem

of m

y ar

m. B

ut I

mus

t adm

it to

leav

ing

the

appl

e, q

uiet

and

stil

l, ca

ught

unte

ther

ed in

the

boug

hs, w

ho m

ay h

ave

brok

en fr

ee w

hen

I sho

ok th

e tr

unk

or th

e w

ind

awok

e. B

ut

unre

ady

for t

he b

aske

t, th

e so

il, th

e no

on s

un th

at p

reys

on

app

les

who

roll

the

leng

th o

f the

orc

hard

hill

,to

nigh

t his

mot

her h

olds

his

bru

isel

ess

body

, his

em

bere

d

smile

,hi

s rip

enin

g ch

eek.

Kei

th L

ove

Fish

Fry

If w

e m

eet o

ne d

ay I

will

tell

you

how

we

sat o

nth

e fl o

or w

hile

you

r fat

her c

ooke

d fi s

h in

a s

hallo

w p

an

and

how

you

ate

yog

urt f

rom

the

spoo

n I fi

lled

and

cle

aned

by ti

dyin

g th

e ex

cess

from

the

rese

rvoi

r alo

ngth

e rim

of t

he b

owl.

Aft

er a

few

bite

syo

u in

sist

ed y

ou fe

ed y

ours

elf—

han

ds ju

ttin

g,lip

s dr

oolin

g— a

nd a

fter

you

r las

t bite

you

held

fort

h th

e bu

mbl

ing

knuc

kle

of y

our p

inky

to o

ffer i

ts v

anill

a co

atin

g. S

o sw

eet w

as th

e cr

eam

from

you

r fi n

gern

ail a

s fr

ied

trou

t cra

ckle

d be

hind

us.

Terr

i Bro

wn-

Dav

idso

n

I Glim

pse,

Brie

fl y, M

y D

ead

Fath

er A

mon

g th

e Cr

anes

My

fath

er s

toop

s by

the

river

ban

k.H

ere,

sev

en c

rane

s cl

uste

r,Li

ft d

rippi

ng b

reak

s,Th

eir b

lack

eye

s an

tedi

luvi

an.

Wat

chin

g m

y fa

ther

wal

k by

, Th

ey s

eem

grie

ved

To re

leas

e hi

m, a

s do

IW

hen

he tu

rns

his

back

, wan

ders

off

Into

the

fog

to h

is ri

pped

Cha

ir in

a li

ving

room

too

frequ

ently

Shad

owed

. Her

e, b

reat

hles

s, c

onfu

sed,

He’

ll si

t in

the

dark

for y

ears

Thou

gh I’

ll ne

ver f

orge

t him

Or f

orge

t I’m

his

dau

ghte

rW

ho—

unlik

e hi

m—

will

die

alo

ne.

Will

die

forg

otte

n.

D M

Gor

don

Long

ing

for M

ozar

t

It’s

two

min

utes

to m

idni

ght.

Stea

m fr

om th

e he

ated

poo

l gl

ows

blue

with

und

erw

ater

ligh

ts. I

t’s ra

inin

g. A

t the

w

indo

w, I

hea

r, bu

t can

not s

ee, t

he b

ad c

hild

ren

runn

ing,

th

e sl

ap o

f the

ir fo

otfa

ll, th

eir l

augh

ter u

nbou

nd.

It’s

mid

-mor

ning

. The

bal

coni

es a

re ro

ttin

g an

d m

ust

com

e do

wn.

Men

with

sle

dgeh

amm

ers

shak

e th

e ho

use.

O

n th

eir p

aint

-spl

atte

red

radi

o, th

e ne

ws

loop

s: T

he L

ast

Rhin

o H

as D

ied.

On

my

bed,

my

mot

her s

its, s

trai

ght-

legg

ed, s

tiff f

eet,

perf

ect b

lond

cur

ls. S

he h

ugs

a lif

e-si

zed

doll

of h

erse

lf in

he

r lap

, str

aigh

t-le

gged

, stif

f fee

t, pe

rfec

t blo

nd c

urls

.

In th

e ev

enin

g, I

dres

s in

cor

al s

ilk w

ith ro

sett

es a

t my

hem

. The

Ste

inw

ay w

aits

ope

n, th

e go

ld c

ande

labr

a,

the

audi

ence

of f

riend

s m

y m

othe

r inv

ited.

She

, with

her

M

adon

na li

ps, w

aits

in th

e fro

nt ro

w. I

adj

ust t

he b

ench

, pu

t my fi n

gers

on

the

keys

. I c

rave

Moz

art.

A n

arro

w ri

ver r

uns

beyo

nd th

e la

wn

and

stea

min

g po

ol. I

n it,

a d

appl

ed w

hale

sha

rk s

low

ly s

wim

s up

stre

am, l

eavi

ng

the

ocea

n. O

ther

s fo

llow

.

In a

ll th

e w

orld

, all

the

cars

.

Pete

r Lei

ght

Unsa

fe

Whe

n th

ey h

old

out t

heir

hand

s th

at’s

whe

n th

ey’re

w

aitin

g fo

r you

to p

lay

into

thei

r han

ds, y

ou th

ink

they

’re

som

ewhe

re e

lse

but t

hey’

re n

ot w

here

you

thin

k th

ey

are,

they

’re s

omew

here

els

e. W

hen

you

back

up

they

’re

behi

nd y

ou, a

s if

wha

t’s in

fron

t of y

ou is

onl

y th

e sh

adow

of

wha

t’s b

ehin

d yo

u, m

ove

to th

e si

de a

nd th

ey’re

righ

t ne

xt to

you

, as

if th

ey’re

giv

ing

you

a ha

nd—

that

’s w

hen

they

’re lo

okin

g at

you

as

if th

ey’v

e ne

ver s

een

anyt

hing

lik

e it,

that

’s w

hen

they

’re h

oldi

ng th

eir h

ands

toge

ther

as

if th

eir h

ands

are

tied

. O

f cou

rse,

eve

rybo

dy w

ants

to

be s

aved

, as

long

as

it’s

legi

timat

e, th

ey’re

offe

ring

you

a ha

nd, a

ttac

hing

them

selv

es to

you

the

way

inte

rest

follo

ws

the

prin

cipa

l aro

und,

that

’s w

hen

they

’re lo

okin

g at

you

as

if y

ou n

eed

to b

e ta

ken

away

and

dep

osite

d. W

hen

you

look

for t

hem

they

’re s

omew

here

els

e, a

s if

it’s

out o

f th

eir h

ands

, you

nev

er s

ee b

oth

of th

eir h

ands

at t

he s

ame

time.

As

soon

as

you

thin

k th

ey’re

som

ewhe

re e

lse

they

’re

surr

ound

ing

you

on e

very

sid

e—do

n’t l

et th

em te

ll yo

u th

ey c

onse

nt to

with

draw

vol

unta

rily,

they

nev

er d

o, th

eir

bigg

est n

eed

is to

be

expo

sed.

Hol

ding

out

thei

r han

ds

like

one

of th

ose

safe

ty n

ets

you

don’

t eve

n kn

ow y

ou’re

ca

ught

in, t

hat’s

whe

n th

ey’re

hol

ding

on,

that

’s w

hen

they

’re lo

okin

g at

you

as

if th

ey’re

taki

ng y

ou h

ome

with

th

em.

Pete

r Lei

ght

The

Appe

aran

ce o

f Bea

uty

in A

mer

ica

Toni

ght I

’m s

ittin

g ar

ound

with

my

frie

nds,

thin

king

ab

out h

ow b

eaut

iful i

t is

right

her

e in

Am

eric

a w

here

ev

eryt

hing

is b

eaut

iful,

and

if it’

s no

t bea

utifu

l it’s

abo

ut

to b

e, it

’s th

e fi r

st th

ing

I not

ice

whe

n I’m

with

my

frie

nds,

w

ho a

re b

eaut

iful o

r doi

ng s

omet

hing

bea

utifu

l, th

ere

are

so m

any

thin

gs th

at n

eed

to b

e do

ne ri

ght h

ere

in

Am

eric

a it’

s be

autif

ul w

hen

you

look

at a

ll th

e th

ings

my

frie

nds

are

doin

g, o

r get

ting

read

y to

do—

it’s

true

, the

y do

n’t a

lway

s kn

ow w

hat t

hey’

re d

oing

, not

all

the

time,

ho

w d

o yo

u kn

ow if

som

ethi

ng is

bea

utifu

l or i

f it’s

just

th

e ap

pear

ance

? E

very

body

kno

ws

abou

t Am

eric

a th

e be

autif

ul, w

here

eve

ryth

ing

is b

eaut

iful o

r is

abou

t to

be,

but h

ones

tly I

don’

t car

e if

my

frie

nds

are

beau

tiful

—w

hen

they

’re y

our f

riend

s it

does

n’t m

atte

r wha

t the

y lo

ok li

ke,

they

don

’t ne

ed to

be

beau

tiful

, eve

n w

hen

they

are

. O

f co

urse

, as

long

as

som

ethi

ng is

bea

utifu

l it d

oesn

’t ha

ve to

be

mor

e be

autif

ul th

an a

nyth

ing

else

in A

mer

ica,

it d

oesn

’t ev

en n

eed

to b

e as

bea

utifu

l as

som

ethi

ng e

lse

that

’s al

so

beau

tiful

, alth

ough

I do

n’t t

hink

any

body

is m

ore

beau

tiful

th

an m

y fr

iend

s ar

e w

hen

they

’re d

oing

som

ethi

ng

beau

tiful

, I m

ean

they

don

’t ev

en h

ave

to k

now

wha

t th

ey’re

doi

ng, n

ot a

ll th

e tim

e, a

s lo

ng a

s it’

s be

autif

ul.

D M

Gor

don

I am

bur

ying

som

eone

in a

mud

dy c

orne

r of t

he y

ard.

I di

dn’t

kill

them

, but

ther

e ha

s be

en te

rrib

le v

iole

nce

and

I am

the

one

with

a s

hove

l.

Out

side

the

room

whe

re m

y m

othe

r hel

d th

e do

ll of

he

rsel

f, an

d th

e ba

llroo

m, e

mpt

y no

w, b

eyon

d th

e de

mol

ishe

d ba

lcon

ies

and

pool

whe

re th

e ba

d ch

ildre

n ru

n at

nig

ht, b

eyon

d th

e st

ream

with

its

dark

cre

atur

es,

ther

e is

a fi

eld.

Fou

r faw

ns re

st th

ere,

legs

tuck

ed, e

ight

ea

rs, l

ooki

ng a

t me

look

ing

at th

em. A

bove

, gee

se

mig

rate

. How

muc

h lo

nger

will

they

be

able

to fl

y aw

ay?

Mau

ra H

igh

And

the

Livi

ng is

Eas

y

Petu

nias

loll

in th

eir c

lay

pots

, stu

mps

an

d pe

elin

gs o

n th

e co

mpo

st h

eap.

They

say

, “Th

ere

is p

lent

y of

tim

e,it

is li

ke th

is e

very

whe

re.”

I kno

w th

is is

a li

e, a

loca

lpl

easu

re. B

ut s

till,

I am

com

fort

ed.

Late

r, I w

ill b

oil a

syr

up fo

r the

hum

min

gbird

s,an

d in

the

dusk

we

will

wat

ch th

em s

woo

p.

Mau

ra H

igh

Clea

rcut

Cra

ig T

ract

of t

he B

olin

For

est,

Ora

nge

Cou

nty,

Nor

th C

arol

ina

A fo

rest

rem

embe

rs w

hat t

o do

afte

r a d

eath

, aft

erth

e fi r

st s

hock

s an

d pa

nic,

in th

e di

sarr

ay a

nd s

ilenc

e.

I thi

nk it

doe

s no

t grie

vefo

r its

elf a

s w

e m

ight

grie

ve fo

r it.

It gr

ows.

Tow

ard

a fu

ture

writ

ten

in it

s ge

nes,

hor

sew

eed

and

crab

gras

s, s

ucke

rs, s

eeds

blow

n in

, was

hed

dow

n

into

the

trac

tor r

uts.

I fi n

ger s

ome

gree

n le

aves

,

rem

embe

ring

the

shad

e,to

uch

slas

h an

d st

umps

and

tree

-rin

gs, r

emem

berin

g

the

tree

s; a

nd th

e cr

acke

d m

ud,

rem

embe

ring

pine

nee

dles

, thi

ck

laye

rs o

f the

m b

elow

the

lobl

ollie

s.