After-Music

CONTENTS

vii C o n T e n T s 1. sWeeT Grease Mario 3 Moon 5 a Bird 8 numbers 9 Winter solstice 11 Variations on antonio Machado’s “Caminante” 14 Let’s say i’m sad 18 open 20 Black Car Blues 24 Blessing the animals 26 after-Music 28 2. HoW THe JuiCes LeaP oboe 33 egg 35 Poker 36 Clue 38 Passenger-side Mirror 40 Cherry Pie 42 Quatrain 43 Moustache 45 alarm Clock 47 runoff 49 Hunch 51 negative space 53 Mousetrap 55 electric Collar 57 small Gray Box with Three Wires 59 Deaf ear 61 Waning Moon 63 3. sTeerinG BY PHeroMones early storm 67 a Clutch of Mammals 68 Path to the Cabin 71 scramble Competition Polygyny 73 Dust Mites 75 The Fly 78 Hippocampus 80 exits 82 4. one MaTCH FLarinG Wise Man 87 Joseph 89 The animals 91 adam’s Christmas 92 The Woman from Chiapas 93 Christmas, Mexico 94 viii ix script for a Cold Christmas 95 elevator Music 97 Christmas night 99 Midnight 100 December 26 102 shepherd 104 5. BirD WiTH THe DoWnCasT Beak self-Portrait as Waterfall 109 Finding the Way 111 Crete: The Diktaean Cave 114 Daughter in new York 116 Blood Work 118 radiation 120 The Visit 121 Hurtle 122 no Clocks 124 Pelican 128 a Dialogue between the Body and soul 129 Music 132 silence 134 auTHor’s noTe 137 aCknoWLeDGMenTs 139 This page intentionally left blank ...