After Jedediah Smith, 1827
Are you surprised to discover that mountain men
know what the various marks of punctuation mean
and can string a few words together, properly spelt?
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After Jedediah Smith, 1827
Are you surprised to discover that mountain men
know what the various marks of punctuation mean
and can string a few words together, properly spelt?
Continue reading
For the sixth time you asked
if we knew how you fell in love
with your husband
but you had no problem,
oddly, recalling how to win
a game of Five Crowns.
after James Clyman
January 1
Cloudy and warm
in fact a coat
has been but little
needed this winter
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Hugh Glass lay in a shallow grave
as much to keep his body warm
as quicken interment of his corpse—
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after a performance by Awadagin Pratt
He is a left-handed player in a right-handed world
reading charts, away from left and toward the right,
underscored by right-brained, right-handed composers.
Even the baton which conducts is clutched in the right.
Curious is the fact
that a sleeping being
is altogether aware
yet elects to ignore
the waking world
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those who vow to never forget
The Trail of Tears
Antietam
Sharpsburg
Sand Creek
The Little Bighorn
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(With No Apologies to Ed McCurdy,
nor to Pete Seeger, nor Simon and Garfunkle, &c.)
Last night I had the strangest dream
I ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
to put an end to war
Say it, man. Spell it out. Admit
That your calculate words, woven
Under and about this captive
Doting audience have multiplied—
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Study but solely me; play
The part that binds you
Until you must capitulate,
Dreams to be relinquished,
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