Each other’s - Reckless - Truth -

Before - the Bristle - Spiked - my Chin -

And Robb’d some Virgin - Wrath.

I’d sat - with Scissors - many Years -

And Cut Out - Pretty - Things -

And Pasted them - into a Book -

And then - when age 8 - Came,

Went to the Circus - with my Class -

The Clowns stared Bold - and Clear -

Came Home and cut - each Eyelash - Off,

Tiptoe, to the Mirror -

Since any - Beauty - I could have -

Would Not be of my Visage -

But drawn or Writ on Paper -

Stricter - Hieroglyph.

I Wish - I Would - have Danced - with you -

On Wild Goose Pond - Cream of the Moon.

And now - I learn - more Truth - of you -

I Call - myself - Your Own.

Amherst Ballad 4

I Slept - in your Town - behind a Door

Which from Inside - could not be Opened -

And Dreamed - as Usual - of Death -

Desire - Ruin -

A Runaway - Truck - Hit Children -

I washed Towels - and Large - Condoms -

Which held Blood - and Shit - like my Birth Bed -

Mom a - First-time - Multipara.

And my High School - dearest friend - was in my Dream -

Virginia Borson -

Whom her BFFs called, to be cool -

Virgin Abortion.

Went - on a Bus - to Mexico -

With an Address - in her Purse -

But - on the Way - Started

To Hemorrhage.

At the End - of a Debussy Concert - I Turned

To say - Who really likes Debussy -

The Silver - Tray - of her Face - Wet

With the Hour - of Ecstasy.

Now I woke - under Eaves of Rain -

An a pest, an a pest, in Amherst -

Tro chee, I am, holy Scansion

Of your Beg-To-Differ.

I am going to your House - to your Room.

I am Afraid. There will be China

Painted with Blossoms - my Mother’s - Delicate

Inheritance I abhor/cherish -

The Loot - of her Privilege - I want

To see as her greed’s Mirror -

Not mine - as if such Beauty were not

My Truth also - my Horror -

And yet - the Painted Petals be

not Tribute - but Reminder -

of Lives of Women - Not the Poorer

The Unkinder - or Kinder -

Vetch - Nettle - on Your Street -

Wheatley - Rich - along - the Verge -

Whitman - Lolling. Mothers - and Fathers

We Thank - Howling -

Amherst Ballad 5

In one Double-Glaze Pane -

Snow-Drop Lamp -

Twice size Below -

Smaller - On Top.

Blunt and Soft of Lip -

Incandescent - Tongues -

The Angle Poised

Between Droop and Up.

Behind each, in the Window -

Each one’s Nape -