Verbena
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Verbena for John Trevor Coates To help the lithe Persian basil, the verbena has to go, so down on my knees for one of those simple labors we always fumble at first, the slow hand work of something new like digging a bed or painting a room light over dark, then by one of those few miracles we are, catch at some small grace inside the fumbling, there is a quickening, a glint of what it would be like if we weren’t just so much seam running between body and soul, we get better at the thing almost despite ourselves, we are in the thick of it suddenly, cutting verbena, perfectly equal to it. Right then, like a martyr’s last breath, faithful to the end, the plant gives up, gives out with its sweet incense, saying, Bathe in me. Bathe in me.
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Transcript of Verbena
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VerbenaforJohnTrevorCoatesTohelpthelithePersianbasil,theverbenahastogo,sodownonmykneesforoneofthosesimplelaborswealwaysfumbleatfirst,theslowhandworkofsomethingnewlikediggingabedorpaintingaroomlightoverdark,thenbyoneofthosefewmiraclesweare,catchatsomesmallgraceinsidethefumbling,thereisaquickening,aglintofwhatitwouldbelikeifwewerentjustsomuchseamrunningbetweenbodyandsoul,wegetbetteratthethingalmostdespiteourselves,weareinthethickofitsuddenly,cuttingverbena,perfectlyequaltoit.Rightthen,likeamartyrslastbreath,faithfultotheend,theplantgivesup,givesoutwithitssweetincense,saying,Batheinme.Batheinme.
