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Axe-earrings, abalone shell in leaf-humus by the river,buried at the base of the arc, a light she watched fall, sun-fall on silver fastenings,thrown from her earlobes,flesh scarred, healed, for the holding of ornaments. What I wanted. A gift. Leaf humus smell around her, rising like water, red from sun, red falling from body, scarred, sealed, healed, an ornament now. Path over bridge, scar over mound healing now, puckering, leaf mold over earrings, gift snatched from lobe, thrown, thrown an arc, light flaring from silver hooks, thrown away into river humus, leaf rot. At my elbow, holding, a woman. At my breast, that news,skin smell of the new born, borne out into this world of melt and fracture, here at my side, holding, woman. 38 ...

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