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Aubade with Doves, a Television, and Fire
- Southern Illinois University Press
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9 AubadewithDoves,aTelevision,andFire Thegunwalesofashipatseaareonfire andthefactthatsomethinginwaterblazes keepsusawakeforhours.Attheedgeoftheboat peoplejumpovertherailing,bravingboth theflamesandwater.Still, inthescreenglarewecatch thewaywesleepinsummer. Noshoulderbetweenus cansaythisdeeply.Theship bleedsoffthetelevision’sedge likeathief.Thecaptainisahandsomeman whokeptadovecotenexttotheliferafts. Itisauselessthing,thedoves neverleavingtheircages.Theclipped ridgesoftheirwingsisanaffront—thebirds pinwheelintotheocean,interfering withahelicopterblade’shardwhirl. Thebirthmarkonyourwrist reflectslightfromthecathode asbirdssawtheair.Dawn blursthepictureleavingghosts. Thebirdsburnhorribly,butevenmore, thecaptaincriesbecausethefoodintheircages boils,smellingofsweetcorninaJunefromhischildhood. Ourbeautifulcaptainstandsonthedeck andyou’reinlovewithhim becauseofhisburnishedmedallionsandhisgrief. Despitetheflawinthetelevision,theinstincttolove istheexactmemoryofflightformourningdoves. 10 Dearest, welovesimilarfailures:night’slostcomposition, fire’sleaf-likeclamor,newlight’sstutter aspigeonsascendtoourrooftop. ...