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To theButteiflies -homage, CentralAmerica Open windows; we always have them, have to have them. We widen Them all, and butterflies come in, and come To rest on our mirrors, breathing with their wings Almost like light, Or better, almost like flight, And then leave. Others come, Have to come, and some ofthe time this happens We are singing, trying hard, But it comes out a croak From dryness, and when we move it is like Moving muscles ofpowder, but Really no muscles are on us; they are all gone Into sweat. Every light the hand turns on Hurts the eyes, and there is nowhere on earth That the heels ofthe feet Are so hot, and they cannot be cooled. I love to know nothing Ofthe sun; I love to feel That I float, forgotten, with two warm rivers That cannot touch me, on a stream come down Between them from a mountain Offrozen rain. We all have wanted, Too long, not to have our tears, Our salt-showing tears, dry before anyone Can see them, dry Before we can feel them, Or find out what they really have To do with grief. To say that I am not true To fever is to say I am not Loyal to my green country, not true, not real The EagleJs Mile / 43 8 Keep breathing Myself, so I say it in secret In steam: Forgive me, butterflies: I know you have to have All this heat for your colors, but you are breathless, too, In spite ofyour breathing Wings and God help me I must say it before I melt Into the sugar-sick ground: Ifwe could do it Without dimming the butterflies, we should find some way To get on the good side ofNorth: Yes North and enough Cold: Yes cold And snow! I've heard ofit! Flakes lilting onto us! Life light on the common grave Shapeless with swelter! Every tongue ofus out To be new to that taste! Mountains ofrain Gone into feather-fall Floating us out ofit! But not dimming not fading The butterflies or the hats and handkerchiefs. Let the wings on our mirrors In whatever falls Keep burning and us, Lord, pleaseAnd us in the dresses and shirts. TheOne No barometer but yellow Forecast ofwide fields that they give out Themselves, giving out they stand In total freedom, The One / 439 ...

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