Who can speak, cough or breathe
She opens forto findhungerhobbled
domesticatedbulls in fieldsseparated
by low stone walls
loping around -- two hind legs roped, toward the drinking water
She opens for her own voice
in her throat the doctor's hand
sews up the missed stitchblood rushes over lips
but screams only risewhen his arm is out
CHOKING:
Anything stuck in the throat blocking the air passage
can stop breathing and cause unconsciousness and death
within four to six minutes
She opensforHe who knows
her mouth better than shebores a hole:
small mirrorsees, pares down her dark
precise metal instruments extend.Nails pierce
plasticshe tries and she smilesmouth full of fingers
droolthey ignorelay back
hush of air sucking up salivaslanted light,
inhaling his morning shave, her after-school Fritos
She opens for a dream locked in his throat: how far in he can carve
1.Do not interfere with a choking victim who can speak,
cough or breathe. However if the choking continues
without lessening call for emergency medical help.
to rememberwhen the shadow sadness castsagain--it was
becauseShe said, "detail"and he, not
not able:apple crescents petal-like on a white plate,
not of the spot on his neck missed shaving every day,
origami pelicans afloat on seas of
capitalized events
andthis,even thoughthe lids of their bodies closed
more closelythan any other love socket ever
was a tear between two in the same roomwanting
the cutout of limbs, shape on shapeto line up
2.Ifthevictimcannotspeak,coughorbreathe,
immediately have someone call for medical help while
you take the following action.
Wake herself up.Listen. This noise of chewingshe knowsis anger
to hold him on her; to be with him by burdena pack animal
sky-writingof what they sayyellowexhaust against
thebottom of the stomach a fog falling out
rolling. Gravityless. Fever and falling.
Finally dragged up before drowning.Always just intime.
The bridge dissolves at rush hour. Crossing, gulping,
guess or else: another story for another night; how many
beans in the jar?
where something (if she cannot)
a small brittle tune comesthat she stands on
This is whereshe tastes the missed stitch,
TonsilectomyNecessityand goes with her grandmother
home again:pour from the long-necked pitcher
what's savage in the househelps
the tunewhat she's guessed
they agree on now-- strawberries bulge, meat throbs
buttercheery in a flowered dish;
we crash icebox seduction
to get closer --
within four to six minutes red flesh
on the counter, white paper ravenous
for juicewhat she swallows she can pour
Our limbs heavy with the season, ripe, ready
tobepicked.Tocultivate and be a plant
at thesametime, separated
Some say that Poseidon was neither eaten nor disgorged,
but that Rhea gave Cronus a foal to eat in his stead,
and hid him among the horseherds. And the Cretans, who
are liars, relate that Zeus is born every year in the
same cave with flashing fire and a stream of blood;
and that every year he dies and is buried.
Thirst,teeththe call for help,vastplainof
linoleum, interference.
Paper napkins that could be folded in many shapes on many laps.
Hum of a small tune on her lips
while she cooks.
Breath of the throat,sex like any other,bread rising,
burn of any hungerafloat
read the author's Working Notes go to this issue's table of contents
