January 2006

Ultimately improved by it:slant light
hitting his prison obliquely

near the state bird’s pointed headaccentuated
crest, the black-ringed bill

from which wheat-wheat-wheat-wheat
from which whoit cheer, whoit cheer;cheer- cheer-cheer

inspired Ronald Cotton to listen
as in his head, the solitary cardinalindulged...

October, and the leaves turned late but strong.
Rock maples and the reds, clear brazen, blaze
long-burning feats of sugar through our ways.
Their strident hold upon the back roads pulls
our morning drive, out to where Oak Woods Road...

Here comes the wise man in the story of sick times,
telling you how to find the passage of satisfaction.
He is many million years old and has been walking
many thousand miles, more miles, more lengths of road
than...