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Stepfather: A Girl's Song Again heavy rain drives him home from the cornfield, washing away footsteps & covering tracks. For years his eyes undressed me. There's a river in his stance sweeping me away. He comes into my bedroom around corners of moonlight; unexpected, he catches me in his big arms. An ancient music at the edge of my mouth. He looks at me slantwise, warns: "These hands whipped a mule crazy & killed a man in '63." My hands are like sparrows, stars caught in tangled dance of branches. He raises my clothes. An undertow drags me down. His mouth on mine, kissing my mother. 45 from Lost in the Bonewheel Factory ...

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