(AGAINST SILENCE)
In every direction...

PLOT
The sad story...

HISTORICAL EPISODE
two feet of clay...

NINE SIGNATURES
In your head, slender curlicues of blood...

LIFE
no one survives it...

10/11
creeping naked around a church...

MYSTERY
I found the murdered man's ______ in my hand...

THEFT OF A LINE FROM STRAND
Torment of love--...

STOP MY EARS
in the middle of the night...

HIDING
in the forest...

SECRECY
A long time till dawn...

UNLUCKY MOON
the tin fear...

SEARCHING
Broken sky, light rain...

BLANK OF BLANKS
no hand can hold...

FALLING
A fine grace of falling is in the leaves...

AT DAWN
Darkness breaks away from...

AT THE PLACE
Standing where something died...

STRANGE FISHING
Blameless...

BEING DEAD
it can't kill you...

JUDAS IS IN HELL
our child-life with its magical intents...

GETTING PEACE
I got inside...

LISTENING TO THE DEAD
you have it all your way...

HEAVEN
is this what it means...

TO TURTLE

The round house and the
snakey eyes, the slow going
always. You are a favorite
for stories: We tell a long one
with you wise, a funny one
with you dumb and honest.
Mostly you're lucky somehow.
It must have started some time ago:
a man with heavy bones
and his nose in the dirt
snuffling up to your still water,
watching you under the sun,
seeing you make your stories
in the water and mud and old logs.