THESE WEEKS


         These weeks
         of wonder
         write postcards
         on tablecloths
         With arguments
         like any weeks
         these perfect weeks
         divide up now
         Don’t hold again
         your great fears
         The homelands
         Or future homes
         Great families
         Ill-tempered friends
         We see you
         through these few weeks

         These weeks
         return you
         Ravenna
         its history
         and mothering
         waiting for you
         These perfect weeks
         dividing you
         Your emptiness
         your full love
         Your proud face
         your sicknesses
         You separate
         your languages
         You give up
         all words for now

         Those few weeks
         those distant weeks
         those perfect weeks
         where was I then?
         In what city?
         In what time?
         You don’t recall
         You can’t recall
         I was in my sleep
         hands flat against the sheets
         And you believed each word
         The truth
         Mouth wide
         Full state
         We slept back front
         back front

         Then again
         those peasant weeks
         were hungry weeks
         What did you eat?
         The feathers fell
         The ground wet
         I wound my arms
         around the wind
         Stone remained as stone
         below above and in
         And you achieved such strength
         That edge
         Eyes closed
         Blank state
         We slipped in out
         In out



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