2RV

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The

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new

poe

ms

bySc

ott C

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ndal

l, W

endy

Tay

lor C

arlis

leD

onal

d Ill

ich,

Eliz

abet

h La

ndru

m, M

icha

el L

auch

lan

Lain

e K

uehn

, Jam

es M

iller

, Kar

en J

une

Ols

onM

atth

ew S

. Par

sons

, Joh

n Sw

eet,

Will

iam

Wal

sh

The

Bea

ch ©

201

8 by

Mar

ia F

ilopo

ulou

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 22.

4 (S

umm

er 2

018)

Abo

ut 2

Rive

r

Sinc

e 19

96, 2

Rive

r has

bee

n a

site

of p

oetr

y an

d ar

t, qu

arte

rly p

ublis

hing

The

2Ri

ver V

iew

and

occ

asio

nally

pu

blis

hing

indi

vidu

al a

utho

rs in

the

2Riv

er C

hapb

ook

Serie

s. 2

Rive

r is

also

the

hom

e of

Mud

dy B

ank,

the

2Riv

er

blog

.

Rich

ard

Long

, Edi

tor

2Riv

er

ISSN

153

6-20

86w

ww

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(@2w

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)

The

2Riv

er V

iew

22.4

(Sum

mer

201

8)

ISSN

153

6-20

86

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 22.

4 (S

umm

er 2

018)

Cont

ents

Scot

t Coy

kend

all

Aft

er h

ouse

pai

ntin

g, I

drea

m m

y de

ad b

roth

er ..

.

Wen

dy T

aylo

r Car

lisle

How

it W

asSo

mbr

ero

Don

ald

Illic

hTh

e K

now

n Fi

res

Whe

re th

e C

hild

Bel

ongs

Eliz

abet

h La

ndru

mLa

yers

in th

e Li

tter

Lain

e K

uehn

Twili

ght

Swimming Toward the Horizon © 2018 by Maria Filopoulou

Eliz

abet

h La

ndru

m, a

retir

ed c

linic

al p

sych

olog

ist,

enjo

ys

a qu

iet l

ife w

ith h

er w

ife a

nd d

og in

the

Pacifi c

Nor

thw

est.

Prev

ious

pub

licat

ions

incl

ude

Cirq

ue, G

rey

Spar

row

, Sha

rk

Reef

, Sou

ndin

gs R

evie

w, a

nd S

outh

ern

Wom

en’s

Revi

ew.

Mic

hael

Lau

chla

n ha

s po

ems

in p

ublic

atio

ns s

uch

as T

he

Dar

k H

orse

, Lou

isvi

lle R

evie

w, N

ew E

ngla

nd R

evie

w, T

he

Nor

th A

mer

ican

Rev

iew

, Poe

try

and

Virg

inia

Qua

rter

ly

Revi

ew. H

is m

ost r

ecen

t col

lect

ion

is T

rum

bull

Ave

.

Jam

es M

iller

is a

nat

ive

of H

oust

on. H

is m

ost r

ecen

t po

ems

have

app

eare

d in

Bos

ton

Acc

ent,

Col

d M

ount

ain

Revi

ew, G

yros

cope

, Lul

lwat

er R

evie

w, T

he M

aine

Rev

iew

, Pl

ains

ongs

, Sw

eet T

ree

Revi

ew, a

nd T

he T

ishm

an R

evie

w.

Kar

en J

une

Ols

on is

a w

riter

from

St.

Loui

s. H

er w

ork

has

appe

ared

in T

he M

as T

equi

la R

evie

w, T

hird

Wed

nesd

ay,

Tipt

on P

oetr

y Jo

urna

l, uc

ity re

view

, and

her

e at

2Ri

ver.

Mat

thew

S. P

arso

ns g

rew

up

in a

farm

ing

fam

ily in

Wes

t V

irgin

ia b

efor

e m

ovin

g to

Ken

tuck

y to

att

end

Ber

ea

Col

lege

. He

lives

now

on

a fa

mily

hom

este

ad a

nd w

orks

as

a m

usic

ian

and

luth

ier w

hile

ear

ning

his

MFA

from

Eas

tern

K

entu

cky

Uni

vers

ity’s

Blu

egra

ss W

riter

s St

udio

.

John

Sw

eet i

s th

e au

thor

of A

ppro

xim

ate

Wild

erne

ss

(Flu

tter

Pre

ss 2

016)

and

the

limite

d ed

ition

Hea

then

To

ngue

(201

8 K

endr

a St

eine

r Edi

tions

201

8).

Will

iam

Wal

sh is

the

dire

ctor

of t

he E

tow

ah V

alle

y Lo

w-

Resi

denc

y M

FA P

rogr

am a

t Rei

nhar

dt U

nive

rsity

. His

new

co

llect

ion

of p

oem

s, F

ly F

ishi

ng in

Tim

es S

quar

e, re

cent

ly

won

the

Cer

vena

Bar

va P

ress

Edi

tors

Ser

ies

Priz

e.

Underwater Swimmers © 2018 by Maria Filopoulou

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 22.

4 (S

umm

er 2

018)

Aut

hors

Scot

t Coy

kend

all t

each

es jo

urna

lism

, tec

hnic

al

com

mun

icat

ion,

and

oth

er w

ritin

g co

urse

s at

Ply

mou

th

Stat

e U

nive

rsity

. His

poe

ms

have

app

eare

d in

Bla

ck F

ox

Lite

rary

Mag

azin

e, T

he C

ossa

ck R

evie

w, H

ayde

n’s

Ferr

y Re

view

, Mid

wes

t Qua

rter

ly, a

nd Q

uart

erly

Wes

t.

Wen

dy T

aylo

r Car

lisle

, who

live

s an

d w

rites

in th

e O

zark

s, is

th

e au

thor

of t

wo

book

s an

d fi v

e ch

apbo

oks,

mos

t rec

ently

, Th

ey W

ent t

o th

e B

each

to P

lay

(LoC

oFo

Cha

ps, 2

017)

.

Don

ald

Illic

h’s

poet

ry h

as a

ppea

red

in jo

urna

ls s

uch

as T

he

Iow

a Re

view

and

Pas

sage

s N

orth

. His

late

st c

hapb

ook

is

The

Art

of D

isso

lvin

g (F

inis

hing

Lin

e Pr

ess

2016

). C

hanc

e B

odie

s w

as ju

st p

ublis

hed

by T

he W

ord

Wor

ks.

Lain

e K

uehn

, a g

radu

ate

of D

enve

r Sch

ool o

f the

Art

s an

d th

e U

nive

rsity

of M

aine

—Fa

rmin

gton

, is

a st

eerin

g co

mm

ittee

mem

ber o

f the

Bel

fast

Poe

try

Fest

ival

and

co-

crea

tor a

nd c

o-ed

itor o

f The

Lar

k, a

n on

line

liter

atur

e an

d ar

ts m

agaz

ine.

Lain

e K

euhn

With

out K

eeni

ng

Mic

hael

Lau

chla

nFo

rtun

eYe

ats

Cal

ls

Jam

es M

iller

Aug

ust 2

017

Two

App

roac

hes

to D

ead

Tim

e

Kar

en J

une

Ols

onA

Riv

erVo

ice

Less

ons

from

a W

ritin

g C

lass

Mat

thew

S. P

arso

nsB

etch

a D

idn’

tH

onky

Ton

ka

John

Sw

eet

note

s on

the

afte

rmat

hpo

em li

ke th

e fa

ded

hear

ts o

f mar

tyrs

Will

iam

Wal

shRa

isin

g Fl

ower

s in

Dec

embe

rW

ine

Tast

ing

at W

ilber

and

Rud

y’s

Farm

Tab

le

The

2Riv

er V

iew

, 22.

4 (S

umm

er 2

018)

Will

iam

Wal

sh

Win

e Ta

stin

g at

Wilb

er a

nd R

udy’

s Fa

rm T

able

Aft

er s

ix d

ays

of ra

in, I

hav

e th

e ni

ght t

o sa

vor,

hour

s to

sm

ell t

he u

ncor

ked

Bor

deau

x fl o

win

g lik

e th

e D

ordo

gne,

whe

re c

oupl

es w

alk

hand

in h

and

over

sto

ne b

ridge

s, a

dmiri

ng th

e st

eep

cliff

s.

From

acr

oss

the

room

, I s

earc

h be

yond

the

gues

tssq

ueez

ing

betw

een

one

anot

her,

slow

ly, f

rom

one

so

mm

elie

r

to th

e ne

xt, u

ntil

I fi n

d th

e un

ders

tate

d w

hite

pea

rls

and

red

dres

s as

love

ly a

s a

nude

des

cend

ing

a st

airc

ase.

As

if ho

verin

g in

a d

ream

abo

ve th

e ga

llery

, the

oak

y ar

oma

undr

esse

s th

e fu

ture

and

sw

irls

unde

r my

tong

ue, t

he d

esire

to d

ance

with

her

, the

dry

tast

e ev

apor

atin

gbe

hind

our

lips

. The

vin

tner

s bl

ess

our f

aith

in th

e gr

ape,

caj

ole

the

linge

ring

afte

r-tas

te—

one

joke

s ab

out t

he G

irond

e es

tuar

y in

Fra

nce,

whe

re y

our t

ongu

e

will

fi nd

rom

ance

. I c

ould

ste

p ou

t of m

ysel

f, pr

eten

dto

be

a bi

llion

aire

and

imag

ine

you

in d

iam

onds

and

noth

ing

else

. Som

etim

es w

e kn

ow w

hat w

e sh

ould

n’t

know

, ho

w in

the

win

e re

sts

the

esse

nce

of re

fusa

l.

This

is a

ll I h

ave:

the fl e

sh

of m

y w

ords

pre

ssin

g ag

ains

t you

r lip

s.

Will

iam

Wal

sh

Rais

ing

Flow

ers

in D

ecem

ber

My

daug

hter

is ru

nnin

g he

r fi n

gers

up

and

dow

n th

e pi

ano

this

aft

erno

on, p

ract

icin

g he

r sca

les

as s

now

falls

on

the

gera

nium

s in

a te

rrac

otta

pot

on

the

back

por

ch, n

ow, a

bout

an

inch

thic

k.

I bou

ght t

hese

ger

aniu

ms

at H

ome

Dep

ot a

few

wee

ks a

godu

ring

sprin

g br

eak,

pla

nted

them

in b

lack

dirt

, car

eful

ly

wat

ered

and

wee

ded

them

, che

ckin

g ea

ch d

ay fo

r bud

s.La

tely

, the

wea

ther

’s tu

rned

war

m

and

I’ve

been

wal

king

aro

und

in p

laid

sho

rts

and

a D

uke

t-sh

irt—

just

yes

terd

ay, I

sat

on

the

porc

h en

joyi

ng w

hat’s

left

of T

he M

aste

rs—

beer

in o

ne h

and,

Sh

aron

Old

s an

d M

arie

How

e in

the

othe

r. B

ut n

ow,

a no

r’eas

ter h

as s

woo

ped

dow

n w

ithou

t war

ning

: sc

hool

’s ou

t, ro

ads

shut

dow

n,ho

t cho

cola

te s

imm

erin

g on

the

stov

e.

As

I car

ry th

e fl o

wer

pot

into

the

hous

e

to w

here

Oliv

ia’s fi n

gers

are

cas

cadi

ng d

own

the

keyb

oard

,I w

ant t

he fl

ower

s to

hea

r her

arp

eggi

os

glid

ing

into

the

open

ing

of “

Com

e Sa

il A

way

” by

Sty

x,to

exp

erie

nce

the

beau

ty o

f her

mus

ic.

Her

bro

ther

s, s

ittin

g at

the

kitc

hen

tabl

e, a

re a

rgui

ng

over

a g

ame

of R

isk.

I w

ant t

he fl

ower

s to

kno

w

I am

sav

ing

them

from

the

unce

rtai

nty

of th

e fu

ture

.Th

ese

gera

nium

s ca

n liv

e in

my

hous

e, fo

reve

r.

Scot

t Coy

kend

all

Aft

er h

ouse

pai

ntin

g, I

drea

m m

y de

ad b

roth

er

com

es in

a ro

wbo

at

Aw

ake

and

unab

le to

rem

embe

r wha

t he

said

, I d

rift

thro

ugh

the

hous

e, s

till s

crub

bing

the

stub

born

pai

nt fr

om m

y ha

nds,

coo

king

egg

s,

wat

chin

g m

y da

ught

ers fl o

aton

thei

r lav

ende

r she

ets.

In th

e cl

ear l

ight

of th

e ki

tche

n, I

see

that

he

and

his

boat

wer

e be

hind

me

all d

ay, y

este

rday

:th

ere

whi

le I

haul

ed p

aint

up

the

ladd

ers,

ther

e w

hile

I ha

uled

ladd

ers

arou

nd th

e ho

use.

He

didn

’t ca

ll ou

t. H

e di

dn’t

pitc

h in

.

I do

the

wor

k of

livi

ng, g

ettin

g on

with

it. H

e sh

adow

s m

e.Th

at’s

the

way

he

alw

ays

turn

s up

—so

qui

etly

a d

ay o

r a

mon

th o

r a d

ecad

e m

ay p

ass

befo

re I

rem

embe

r he’

s st

andi

ng b

etw

een

me

and

the

sun.

Wen

dy T

aylo

r Car

lisle

How

It W

as I t

ell y

ou, h

e us

ed to

ligh

t me

up.

We

drov

e th

at ro

ad li

ke it

was

a fo

ur la

ne.

We

drov

e th

e fo

ur-la

ne li

ke it

was

a ro

ad to

jubi

latio

n. T

hat h

ard

tarm

ac pa

ved

our w

ay to

joy.

But

one

day

I cam

e aw

ake

and

whe

n he

cal

led,

my

thro

at c

lose

d ag

ains

t his

nam

e.“W

rong

num

ber,”

I sa

id, t

hink

ing,

wha

t non

sens

e ca

n st

and

in fo

r lov

eno

w I

see

pass

ion

is o

nly

pain

by a

noth

er n

ame?

I’m

hal

f-co

nvin

ced

amou

r cou

ld ju

st a

s w

ell b

e a

fast

car

, a

BM

W, a

Por

sche

but

I’d

sett

le fo

r a F

iat o

r a K

ia,

any

kind

of c

ar th

ey d

on’t

mak

e he

re.

John

Sw

eet

poem

like

the

fade

d he

arts

of m

arty

rs

the

min

otau

r in

his

laby

rinth

,w

hich

is a

s it

shou

ld b

e,an

d al

l the

shi

ps lo

st a

t sea

the

plan

esw

hich

dis

appe

ar

turn

up

agai

nhu

ndre

ds o

f mile

s aw

ayin

a th

ousa

nd s

mok

ing

piec

esan

d ev

eryo

ne d

ead

eve

ryon

e de

ad

so m

any

bells

to ri

ng a

ndno

ne o

f the

m m

ake

any

soun

d at

all

John

Sw

eet

note

s on

the

aft

erm

ath

and

then

aft

eryo

ur lo

ver’s

sui

cide

you

spen

d a

year

pai

ntin

gno

thin

g bu

t dea

th

you

dig

tunn

els

that

go

now

here

fi ll t

hem

with

bro

ken

glas

s

with

the

splin

tere

dte

eth

of s

tran

gers

leav

e th

e do

or a

t the

end

of

the

hall

open

inca

se th

e ho

use

begi

ns to

fall

Wen

dy T

aylo

r Car

lisle

Som

brer

o

Mag

gie’

s re

dnec

k hu

sban

d w

as re

lent

less

whe

n he

foun

d th

e fa

t man

’s le

tter

sab

out M

aggi

e’s

thig

hs a

nd b

reas

ts.

In e

veni

ngs

of io

n an

d su

spic

ion,

the

win

d bl

ewth

e st

ars

arou

nd o

ver t

heir

valle

yan

d th

e m

oon

cam

e up

and

shi

ned

the

catt

lew

hile

the

lake

mov

ed li

ke a

fi sh

rode

o. B

ut w

hen

spea

king

of b

etra

yal,

ther

e is

bar

ely

anyt

hing

new

to s

ay,

noth

ing

nove

l abo

ut in

fi del

ity,

noth

ing

cutt

ing

edge

abo

ut a

blo

nd h

airs

tyle

whi

ch a

s w

e kn

ow, i

s no

thin

g bu

t a

wild

som

brer

o, a

glow

abo

ve y

our o

rdin

ary,

car

bon-

base

d lif

e.

Don

ald

Illic

h

The

Kno

wn

Fire

s

One

bur

ned

on to

p of

a m

ount

ain,

neve

r goi

ng o

ut, c

onst

antly

hit

by th

e go

ds’ l

ight

ning

, in

plac

eof

zap

ping

ano

ther

des

ervi

ng m

orta

l.

Ano

ther

sm

oked

on

a se

a of

oil,

whi

ch th

ey’d

nev

er b

e ab

le to

cle

an,

load

ing

the

sky

with

sm

og a

nd g

as.

A h

undr

ed s

inge

d th

e op

en p

lain

s,

eatin

g th

e gr

ass

that

bar

ely

held

the

dirt

toge

ther

thro

ugh

the

win

ds.

And

a h

undr

ed m

ore

lit th

e da

rkne

ssin

a to

wn

mad

e of

lam

ps a

nd p

ropa

ne,

smel

ling

the

scen

t of f

umes

eve

ryw

here

.B

ut it

was

the

smal

lest

bla

ze th

at le

ft

its m

ark,

fed

by b

irds,

con

sum

ing

hous

es,

killi

ng th

ose

who

wai

ted

too

long

to e

scap

e.

That

was

a fl

ame

wor

th w

orsh

ipin

g.th

at e

ven

the

heav

ens

wou

ld w

atch

,

hopi

ng it

did

not

reac

h th

eir g

ates

,w

ishi

ng w

e co

uld

extin

guis

h it

tota

lly.

Mat

thew

S. P

arso

ns

Hon

ky T

onka

I slip

ped

a cu

rve

swer

ved

on a

cou

ntry

road

and

saw

a lo

ad o

f bus

ters

fl ust

ered

and

fi gh

ting

at a

nig

ht ti

me

stop

with

a c

oupl

e ra

g to

ps s

lopp

ed o

ver t

o th

e si

deof

the

park

ing

lot

The

danc

e ha

ll st

alle

d w

ith a

ll th

e bi

g tr

ucks

tuck

ed in

to ti

ny s

pace

sde

face

d w

ith b

ulky

bod

ies

bad

mile

age

and

sila

ge s

ittin

g in

the

driv

ers

seat

s

Men

wer

e cr

eepi

ng o

n th

e st

reet

prea

chin

g at

the

air

and

pairi

ng th

eir b

anne

d bo

urbo

n w

ith p

urpl

e pi

llsTh

ey w

ere

silly

old

boy

s ac

ting

like

youn

g on

esfu

mbl

ing

for fi

rst i

n a

sand

box

box

ing

mat

chTh

en th

ey le

ft th

eir t

oys

in th

e di

rtan

d sl

ippe

d in

side

to fl

irt w

ith a

ll th

e ol

der w

omen

who

sin

ning

won

’t ab

ide

best

leav

e th

at s

tuff

outs

ide

Mat

thew

S. P

arso

ns

Betc

ha D

idn’

t

I bet

you

did

n’t k

now

your

unc

le w

as a

n un

dert

aker

Man

he

done

took

und

er m

ore

men

than

any

man

had

a

right

toif

any

man

had

a ri

ght t

o an

yway

Yeah

, may

be h

e dr

ank

a lit

tleM

aybe

it g

ot to

him

May

be h

e sp

ent l

ast F

riday

w

alki

ng a

roun

d th

e tr

ee in

his

fron

t yar

dw

ith a

rifl e

sho

utin

g ou

t for

God

and

eve

rybo

dy to

hea

r“D

amn

it I’v

e tr

eed

you

now

you

coo

ny s

on o

f a b

iscu

it!”

I gue

ss a

per

son

coul

d im

agin

e he

foun

d hi

s w

ayup

in th

at tr

ee a

fter

that

coo

nan

d fe

ll ou

tK

illed

his

self

the

poor

bas

tard

And

may

be h

e di

dM

aybe

he

was

n’t a

ll th

ere

But

I be

t you

did

n’t k

now

he

was

toug

h ne

ither

I bet

you

did

n’t k

now

he

chew

ed c

oal l

ike

cud

Whe

n yo

u sa

t up

stra

ight

in th

e sa

ddle

on y

our h

igh

hors

ean

d he

was

laye

d up

in

his

hom

emad

e co

ffi n

betc

ha d

idn’

t kno

w h

e sp

it fi r

e

Don

ald

Illic

h

Whe

re t

he C

hild

Bel

ongs

Som

e sa

y he

cou

ld b

e ra

ised

up

by h

is m

othe

r tow

ard

the

sky,

so

all i

n th

e vi

llage

cou

ld s

ee h

is h

eigh

t, po

wer

. Th

ey’ll

bow

bef

ore

him

, ha

ndin

g ov

er a

ssor

ted

gift

s to

him

,

from

pow

ders

to d

iam

onds

. O

ther

s vi

ew h

im a

s a

devi

l see

d, w

ho s

houl

d be

left

on

a m

ount

ain

to b

e de

vour

ed

by a

lion

. Th

ey d

on’t

wan

t to

nam

e hi

m,

for f

ear t

hat h

e m

ight

gai

n fro

m w

ords

,

enab

ling

him

to c

harm

oth

er c

hild

ren

to h

is c

ause

. W

hat h

e is

to h

imse

lf no

one

kno

ws;

he

seem

s in

noce

nt,

but p

erha

ps h

e’s

too

blam

eles

s.

He

talk

s to

ani

mal

s in

thei

r lan

guag

e,

but h

e so

meh

ow fo

rget

s th

e sp

eech

of

cro

ws

and

buzz

ards

. M

ost a

gree

he s

houl

d be

rais

ed in

a n

orm

al h

ome,

w

here

he’

ll le

arn

how

to re

ad a

nd m

ow

the

gras

s, n

ail b

oard

s an

d dr

ive

a ca

r.

If w

e fi n

d an

y da

nger

, it w

ill b

e fro

m

our o

ccas

iona

l vis

its a

s un

cles

, aun

ts.

We

look

clo

sely

for s

igns

on

his

body

, a

wen

or a

num

ber.

We

belie

ve w

e’ll

know

a m

onst

er w

hen

we

spot

one

.

Lain

e K

uehn

Twili

ght

The

haw

k co

mes

for t

he ja

y, s

wee

ping

infro

m th

e so

uthe

ast w

hite

pin

e.H

er s

hado

w tr

avel

s br

iefl y

ove

r sno

wbe

fore

it is

sw

allo

wed

by

dark

ness

mad

e bl

uer b

y du

sk.

The

man

at t

he w

indo

w,

one

hand

hid

den

in a

dis

hclo

th,

does

not

see

wha

t hap

pens

—on

ly th

e sh

adow

mov

ing,

the

prec

ise

desc

ent.

An

impe

rfec

t, go

lden

tape

stry

spill

s fro

m th

e ki

tche

n w

indo

w in

to th

e di

mne

ss,

whe

re it

see

ms

as th

ough

not

hing

is m

ovin

gbu

t bra

nche

s.

It is

qui

et fo

r a ti

me

both

insi

de a

nd o

utsi

de th

e ho

use.

Kar

en J

une

Ols

on

Voic

e Le

sson

s fr

om a

Writ

ing

Clas

s

She

had

forg

otte

n he

r arm

or,

hid

behi

nd v

eils

of a

ddic

tion,

rela

pse,

an

d cr

ashe

d ca

rs. O

nly

the

wal

l clo

ck

spok

e w

ith lo

ud ti

ckin

g se

cond

s.

I won

dere

d if

she

care

d le

ss

for p

oem

s an

d m

ore

for r

azor

s to

sha

rpen

her

voi

ce.

In th

e va

lley

a di

rty

win

d sw

irled

. If I

follo

wed

he

r to

the

river

—

wou

ld s

he k

eep

her d

ress

, le

ave

her b

oots

in th

e re

eds,

cra

dle

ston

es?

Riv

ers

spea

k st

orie

s in

wat

er.

I cou

ldn’

t hea

r w

hat s

he h

ad le

ft to

say

.

Kar

en J

une

Ols

on

A R

iver

A ri

ver s

nake

s lo

wla

nds,

gat

hers

ra

in a

nd w

ind

blow

n se

eds,

ferr

ies

folk

s an

d su

mm

er p

icni

cs,

a fi s

hing

pol

e, a

kay

ak,

child

ren

who

will

leap

off

a do

ck.

But

a ri

ver i

s no

t a

drea

m—

it’s

our f

athe

rs h

omem

ade

stew

, che

mic

al

plan

ts, t

he g

arba

ge b

arge

, and

wee

d-fre

e fi e

lds

wav

ing

grai

n.

Ther

e’s

a hu

sh in

the

hous

e w

here

the

card

s ar

e de

alt—

wha

t glo

wle

aks

from

the

land

fi ll?

All

thin

gs ru

n al

l thi

ngs

run

dow

n to

the

river

.

We

forg

et

wha

t is

draw

n fro

m th

e fa

ucet

.

Lain

e K

uehn

With

out

Kee

ning

Like

silk

be

ing

draw

n ov

er a

bod

yin

the

dark

, the

grie

f com

es.

Not

eve

n th

e ve

ery’

s ca

ll w

ith it

s hu

ndre

d fr

agile

fi ng

ers

can

pull

it as

ide.

The

sou

nd fi

lls th

e tr

ees,

ro

lls a

long

them

like

two

whi

te m

arbl

esdo

wn

a gl

ass

funn

el.

The

silk

sm

ells

slig

htly

sw

eet:

card

amom

and

hon

ey.

It is

feat

her-l

ight

. It

is s

o lo

ngit

coul

d w

rap

arou

nd a

thou

sand

bod

ies

and

still

trai

l int

o th

e se

a.

Eliz

abet

h La

ndru

m

Laye

rs in

the

litt

er

i Ther

e is

poe

try

hidd

en in

the

litte

r.If

I sta

y st

ill lo

ng e

noug

h, a

thirs

t w

ill ta

ke m

e th

ere

— T

ouch

falle

n fe

athe

rs lo

ng fo

rgot

ten

by th

e ow

l, riv

er-t

umbl

ed s

tone

s, o

ne fi

nger

of a

bat

win

g,m

ound

of s

ilver

lich

en c

uddl

ed w

ith tw

igs,

hone

ycom

bed

bone

of a

ntle

r she

d fro

mits

ped

icle

, jus

t aft

er th

e ve

lvet

with

ered

.Re

mem

ber

the

times

you

car

ried

my

pack

,he

lped

me

cros

s ru

shin

g st

ream

s on

a lo

g.

ii Sure

ly y

ou k

now

that

I, to

o, h

ave

curs

ed

the

youn

g bu

ck th

at ru

tted

on

rose

mar

y sh

rubs

, be

caus

e th

ey w

ere

min

e, a

nd I

had

plan

s.

And

I ha

ve s

corn

ed th

e ba

t in

my

raft

ers

beca

use

I fel

t fea

r, th

ough

I di

dn’t

know

why

.Ye

t I h

ave

wel

com

ed th

e ec

hoes

of o

wls

,as

if th

ey w

ere

give

n to

exp

and

us,

and

I nev

er b

elie

ved

a tr

ee w

ould

not

ice

its m

issi

ng p

iece

s, n

ever

kne

w th

at m

y bo

ots

wou

ld m

atte

r to

the

liche

n-co

vere

d ro

ck.

Jam

es M

iller

Two

App

roac

hes

to D

ead

Tim

e

i The

trai

n to

Chi

cago

,on

the

Sout

h Sh

ore

Line

from

Ham

mon

d—

you’

re h

obbl

ing

past

har

row

edho

useh

olds

, slo

w e

noug

hto

look

aga

in.

But

don

’t. O

ne g

lanc

ew

ill c

all d

own

the fl a

mes

,m

elt s

win

gset

s to

hol

y so

nnet

s.

ii Wal

-Mar

t par

king

lot,

8:32

PM

, sco

ring

isop

ropy

l and

app

licat

ors

for t

he s

how

.B

lack

car

: its

low

eng

ine

thin

as

met

ro p

opco

rn s

ludg

e.H

e ra

ttle

s an

d st

ops

ten

feet

aw

ay,

slam

s an

d st

ands

. G

un, o

r gur

n?

Two

hand

fuls

of h

eike

gani

bur

p fro

m h

is b

owel

s, s

catt

er a

mon

gm

onst

er tr

ucks

and

Chr

istm

as c

arts

.

Jam

es M

iller

Aug

ust

2017

On

inau

gura

tion

day,

I pr

omis

ed a

poe

m

ever

y Tu

esda

y,

for t

he d

urat

ion.

The

four

teen

that

follo

wed

?

Last

nig

ht’s

sirlo

inle

ft a

sta

in in

the

cent

erof

our

favo

rite

pan.

Ther

e is

no

sign

of t

he fr

ogs

that

live

d un

der t

he h

edge

early

this

sum

mer

.

Wou

ld th

at I

coul

d fe

edth

e w

asps

, fi ll

up

thei

r maw

s w

ith fr

ay a

nd tr

ace:

pa

per f

or th

eir c

ozy

nest

s.

Year

s ag

o I h

eard

the

Qua

kers

say

:

Woe

unt

o th

e bl

oody

city

of

Lic

hfi e

ld!

I wou

ld a

sk fo

r les

s.

A ru

stlin

g an

d a

supp

ing.

Bee

tles

drow

sed

in th

eir g

loam

ing

dam

p.

iii Yes,

I ha

ve s

wal

low

ed m

ore

wel

l- po

lishe

d lie

s,no

w s

tone

s in

my

thro

at, a

nd I

have

com

e to

love

a

stor

e of

thin

gs th

at lo

oked

like

our

s fo

r the

taki

ng.

How

har

d to

unr

avel

the

pass

ed-d

own

lines

twis

ted

into

eve

ry s

inew

and

syn

apse

. How

har

d to

envi

sion

this

pla

net w

here

the

ones

who

are

gon

e ar

e th

e on

es w

ho w

ere

gift

ed w

ith m

inds

th

at c

ould

pla

n an

d im

agin

e, o

utla

sted

by

thos

e w

ho c

ould

not

spe

ak

thei

r poe

try

in w

ords

. Li

sten

as tr

ees

carr

y on

thei

r con

vers

atio

nsin

sile

nce

. If w

e le

ave

it, th

e lic

hen

will

last

,tu

rnin

g st

one

into

soi

l so

som

ethi

ng e

lse

mig

ht g

row

. B

ats

will

ada

pt a

s th

ey h

ave

for m

illio

ns o

f yea

rs. O

wls

will

stil

l fl y

w

ith m

issi

ng fe

athe

rs.

Ant

lers

will

thic

ken,

br

anch

, the

n sh

ed a

gain

. Wha

t is

lost

w

ill b

e fo

rgot

ten,

whi

le a

ll th

at re

mai

n w

ill g

o on

mak

ing

mor

e of

them

selv

es

for a

s lo

ng a

s th

ey c

an

iv Som

e tim

e be

fore

our

fi na

l apo

logi

esw

hen

we

are

no lo

nger

lulle

d in

to b

elie

ving

that

we

can

own

the

futu

re, l

et g

rief

beco

me

our l

ulla

by, a

nd h

ope

be re

defi n

ed.

Let u

s pr

olon

g pe

ace,

if

not o

ur s

peci

es, a

nd n

ot fo

rget

the

laye

rs

left

lyin

g in

the

litte

r. A

tten

d to

wha

t mat

ters

—th

e m

usic

of w

ater

,pa

tter

ns in

a fe

athe

r, a

circ

le o

f han

ds

arou

nd th

e fa

ding

fi re

.

Eliz

abet

h La

ndru

m

Mic

hael

Lau

chla

n Fo

rtun

e

She

told

me

how

they

’d la

ugh,

lo

okin

g ba

ck a

t us

shop

ping

for c

ars

or h

ats

as n

eigh

bors

are

pile

d in

to v

ans

and

hust

led

out o

f sig

ht.

Whe

n I a

sked

if w

e m

ight

rem

ain

invi

sibl

e, s

he to

ok

a th

ough

tful

dra

g an

d sm

iled

unbr

ight

ly, a

whi

ff of

sm

oke

seep

ing

from

her

gow

n. R

easo

nsw

ill d

rain

from

us,

she

sai

d,lik

e bl

ood

from

a h

eadl

ess

bird

.

Mic

hael

Lau

chla

n

Yeat

s Ca

lls

poet

ry a

qua

rrel

with

the

self.

Whe

n I a

rgue

with

my

love

r,

I see

an

eyeb

row

rise

and

long

to

take

her

sid

e ag

ains

t my

own.

She

hold

s in

turn

wor

lds

with

in.

How

can

I ig

nore

chi

ldre

n

tryi

ng to

boa

rd a

trai

n, th

ose

her e

yes fi n

d fi r

st a

s th

ey c

ling

to a

mot

her’s

coa

t? I

can’

t mis

she

r rag

e at

men

who

dis

inhe

rit

the

mee

k. H

ow c

an I

igno

re—

that

wom

an s

ittin

g th

ere—

wha

t bre

aks

a st

anza

’s he

art?

wha

t lig

hts

an ia

mb’

s fu

se?