The Law of Falling Bodies: Poems

When You Hear the Tone

When You Hear the Tone Some go by fire, licked up from hair to bone. And some go by flood, That muscle of water wrestling the bodies down. And you? You closed those tired eyes, slipping into Dreams too deep to leave— And the heart tired, too, from loving so much and so many. Even before, I couldn’t bear to imagine all those messy vitals Hard at work under the skin, The pumps and sluices, the pulpy bellows sucking it up. Nor did I like to look at the old clocks, where wheels And oily hidden springs Move time ahead of us, always circling out of reach. Who was it sang, on some scratched record, I asked for water, They gave me gasoline? I could do close harmony with him on that mean tune. Or maybe, once more, I should call my own number, To hear your warm lost voice Saying its welcome when no one’s at home. I’m down to my last Lucky, with a long night to go. So baby, please, please, please, Leave another sweet message on my message machine. 85 • • • ...