Stan Mir
from The Rhino of our Dreams

 

This bench has ceased
comfort in the sun

the tape rewinds the birds
an ant carrying a leaf

fleck crawls circuitously
I have folded

my notebook due to wind
the tape rewinds Joe

Ceravolo who died September
4, 1988 while I turned

12 girls told me my voice
changed the phone just

rang I am headed to New
York once again all

I think is certain slants
of sunlight tell more faults

the tape has rewound
what I haven’t yet

heard is who will take
what I offer when I

offer it will I fall
on my knees

then               will
I lift what has already

lifted what the tree said
lifted into this poem

good fortune rings
but twice a man sits

across the park the breeze
across the park the asshole

walks across the park the wind
lifts my notebook pages

I imagine the light Californian
should I listen to the tape

or hold it to imagine what
it says I want to write a poem

to my friends Andy & Jed they
don’t love me anymore I want them

to know I will never stop giving
someone told me so it is Friday

November 4 President Bush
pushes his course in Latin America

I think it’s time for the tape:
press play

 

for my wife

The domestic scene
                         a room

            6:57         Caroline
            sleeps the fan

above her           spins married
two years we have

moved               changed
I am not the man

I was                        real is
real         love            love

more than the vow
            b/w song & glass