We thought it could all be found in The Book of Poor Text，
the shadow the boat casts， angled mast， fretted1 wake， indigo2 eye.
Windows of the blind text，
keening， parabolic nights.
And the rolling sun， sun tumbling
into then under， company of moths3.
Can you hear what I'm thinking， from there， even as you sleep？
Streets of the Poor Text， where a child's gaze falls
on the corpse of a horse beside a cart，
whimpering dog， woman's mute mouth agape
as if to say， We must move on，
we must not sTOP， we must not watch.
For after all， do the dead watch us？
To memorize precisely4 the tint5 of a plum，
curve of a body at rest （sun again），
the words to each popular song，
surely that would be enough.
For are you not familiar with these crows by the shore？
Did you not call them sea crows once？
Did we not discuss the meaning of as the crow flies
one day in that square - station of exile - under the reddest
of suns？ And then， almost as one， we said， It's time.
And a plate shattered， a spoon fell to the floor，
towels in a heap by the door.
Drifts of cloud over
steeples from the west.
Faith in the Poor Text.
Outline of stuff left behind.
