The Soft Edges of Metempsychosis

Eumaeus 606

Attention-

raging singing at your reflection

sheltered in the cup of Abraham

your belladonna some concoction of rapt attention

its language Antediluvian

a poetry of the dead

a dissatisfied yawn a bloodless, quiet act

a reflection of quandary

a speech of sailors

the stare of the broken eye

attention-

these inward labels appear temporary

and have something to do

with our acquaintance with ice

Eumaeus 607

I asked for the night

and was shouted down

a gunshot at the sea

apparently, the water speaks my common name.

I asked for an eye

and some excessive feature

guessed my age

stared at pictures of the dead

and disregarded the weather

I asked for a drink

and newcomerjesus

sank heavily beneath the waves

body bound and turned around

Agony clutching a phony Irish cross.

Eumaeus 608

A face at the nameless window

has a story

like all stories this one has magic

and all stories are about

homecoming

and memory

but this story is like a diamond and

you name your diamond astonishment

then, like all good mariners, you

sail into the beautiful sunrise

and greet the awful, perfect day.