A Path Between Houses.docx
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A Path Between Houses.docx
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APathBetweenHouses
APathBetweenHouses
Whereisthedwellingplaceoflight?
Andwhereisthehouseofdarkness?
Goabout;walkthelimitsoftheland.
Doyouknowapathbetweenthem?
Job38:
19-20
TheenigmaofAugust.
Seasonofdustandteenagearson.
Thenightlywhineofpickuptrucks
bouncingthroughthesumac
beneaththeCo-Operativepowerlines,
country&westernboomingfromwoofers
carvedintothedoors.Atraceofsmoke
whenthewinsshifts,
spungravelrattlingthefendersofcars,
thegroanofclutchandtransaxle,
pickuptrucks,arrivingatafrictionpoint,
gunningfromnowheretonowhere.
Theduetsbegin.Acompactdisc,
asinglelineofmutedtrumpet,
playsagainstthesirens
pursuingthesmokeofgrassfires.
Iloveapainter.Onanewcanvas,
shepaintstheneighbor'sfield.
Shepaintsitwithouttrees,
andpaintsthefieldbeyondthefield,
thefieldthathasnotrees,
andtheupturnedJesusboat,
madeintoaplanter,
"ForGodsolovedtheworld..."
acitationfromJohn,chapterandverse,
splatteredacrossthebow
theboatspillsrosesintotheweeds.
Whatdoesthestraydogknow,
afteratasteofwhatisholy?
Thesunpullshershadowtowardme,
anundulantshapethatsheltersthegrass,
anunaimedthing.
Inthegrayhouse,thetinyhouse,
in'52therewasafire.Theoldwoman,
drunkandsmokingcigarettes,fellasleep.
Thewinteroftheblizzardandherson
NotcominghomefromtheYalu.
TherearetimesIstillsmellsmoke.
TherearedaysIknowshesetthefire
andwhy.
Lastnight,lightningtothesouth.
Here,nothing,thoughalongtheriver
thewindupendsawillow,
agorgonofleavesandbottom-upclod
browningintheafternoonsun.
Inthemuseumwedispute
thepoet'sepiphanycall——
whitelightormorewarmth?
AndwhatistheGreekwordfortheflesh,
andthebodyapartfromthespirit,
meaningeventhebodyopposedtothespirit?
Idonotknowthisword.
Danteclaimstherearepoolsoffire
inthemiddleregionsofhell,
butthelowestcirclesarelakesofice,
offeringthehopeourgreatestsins
aren'tthepassionsbutindifference.
Andthewillowgrewforyears
Withnorealholdupontheground.
Howtheaccidentoccurred
andhowtheskygotdark:
Sixmilesfrommyhouse,
adrunkleavestheHolidayInn
spinson104andsmacksautilitypole.
Thepowerlinesparks
acrossthehoodofhisFord
andilluminatesthecrazedspiderweb
ofthewindshield.Hisbloodytongueburns
withaslurrygospel.Aroundme,
thelightsgodown,
thewaydeathisdescribed
asarmorcrashingtotheground,
thesoulhavingalreadydeparted
foranotherplace.WasithisbodyIheard
leaningagainstthehorn,
thebody'sfinalsong,beforethebody
slumpedsidewaysintheseat?
WhenIwasachild,
Iwouldwakeatnight
andimagineafieldofasteroids,rolling
acrossthewallsofmyroom.
Infact,I'veseenthem,
likethelastherdofbuffalo,
grazingagainstthebackgroundoffixedstars.
Plate420showstheasteroid433Eros,
thebrightpointoflight,asitclosesitsapproach
tolight.IloosemyselfinCygnus,
ancientkamikazeswan,
risingordivingtoearth,
Draco,snarlingatthepolestar,
andPegasus,stonehorseofthegods,
ecstatic,lookingonelasttimeathome.
Augustandtheenigmaitis.
DayswhenImoveincrabbedcircles,
nightswhenIwalkwithJesusthroughthefields.
Whatfinallystandsbetweenus
andtheworldofflyingthings?
Mobbedbyjays,theCooper'shawk
dropsthedeadbird.Ittumbles
beneaththecedartree,
tinyacrobatofdeath,
adeadbirdreleased
inafailedactofatonement.
Anestofwaspsbuzzingbeneaththeshingles,
flickersdrillingthecottonwood,
jays,sparrows,theinsistentwrens,
thelanguageofbirds,headscocked,
staringthemoon-eyedthroughtheair.
Sedge,asters,andfleabane,
redtinsofgasolineandglowingcigarettes,
themidnightvoiceofafourteen-year-oldgirl
wailingtheword"blue"fromthepickup'sopendoors,
illuminatedbythedomelight,
thesulphurousraspofanotherstruckmatch,
andfoxglove,goldenrodandchicory,
thedryflowersoflatesummer,
anexhaustionInolongerlookat.
Timepasses.Theauthorities
gatherthewreckage,thewhirr
ofcicadas,andlightdissemblesthesky.
Awindshift,andtheCedarCreekfire
snapsthebackfireline
androarsthroughthecemetery.
Inthemorning,
Iwalkapathbetweenhouses.
Icrosstothewater
andcircleagain,theredwings
forcingmebackfromthemarsh.
Smokerisesfromafire
stillsmolderingalongthepowerlines,
flaringandexhaustingitself
intheshapeofsomethinglost.
Grassfires,firesthroughthescrub
oftheclear-cut,firesinthepulpwood,
cemeteryfires,
thepowderofashstilluntracked
beneaththeenormoustrees,
firesthatexplodetheseedcones
onthepines,thesmokeofsetfires
andeverygoodintentiongonewrong,
scorchingthemonuments
abovethegravesofthedead.
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