In Valley Home somniferous logs rest waiting for buildings or books incoherent stacked a conversation lying soundly discussing near silent the effects of stripping and milling
Logs of Sleep
Ahgreyeuss
Still smooth limbs
Lingering
with the scent of oak
only faint impressions of bark
of leaves
emerging
boulders lichen
bleating a whistle through brush
consorts sipping immature streams
willowy saplings vaguely
fingers twigs and wind
pulling at the trunks and leaves
rippling the pools and waves
peering into the caves naive
always
the presence
of the woodlands
the texture
of rock
the sound
of water
we are
exploring
.
Lingering
with the scent of oak
only faint impressions of bark
of leaves
emerging
boulders lichen
bleating a whistle through brush
consorts sipping immature streams
willowy saplings vaguely
fingers twigs and wind
pulling at the trunks and leaves
rippling the pools and waves
peering into the caves naive
always
the presence
of the woodlands
the texture
of rock
the sound
of water
we are
exploring
.
Suburban Ruins
by a creek they walk
as often on a paved road
Penelopeya
He scrambles
over the banks
pointing out frogs and sticks
insects under logs
He becomes alone
where the stream runs straighter
to the suburbs
through the rip-wrap
wire
bars and
broken blocks
Then flowing
across the cracked
cement searching rushes
and pools
finding goldfish in the confusion
of human wild
It is a meaningful wasteland
of percolation
filling his pockets
In Rural November
trees
brush
He wanders dirt roads
rut and mud
to the bridge at Ross Creek
He follows the stream
toward home
growing narrower
and shallower
with willow thickets
closing in
He has to crawl to pass through
over the yellow
narrow fallen leaves
and there on his knees
he finds
goldfish
huddling in the drying
clear puddles
He is worried that they will
die in these wallows
and scoops them with his hands putting
some in his pockets and
holding others
as many as he can
safe
against his chest
The San Andreas
makers obsession with topography
upward vaguely
seeking by boulders
wet and reservoir
They walk quietly on
flat paths thinking of other places—
any over-steepened slope
—under leaves
to the in-flowing
arms end
They enter
wait here in jumble
and shady with relief and variation
They excite
in the convoluted landscape
in their vision
they stare
With Nomioss his Brother
…Ahgreyeuss walks
from the woods
further back into youth
with Nomioss
They tread long grass
and water all around
streams
clear and overflowing with green
and the sky
By the novitiate
with its stop-gates
diversions
races
they walk rising land
They come to culverts
where Nomioss turns back
but Ahgreyeuss
the younger boy continues
climbing the awe of washout
vertical
over the ruinous concrete
to the gentle slopes
near the top of the ridge
where the water
from the woods
further back into youth
with Nomioss
They tread long grass
and water all around
streams
clear and overflowing with green
and the sky
By the novitiate
with its stop-gates
diversions
races
they walk rising land
They come to culverts
where Nomioss turns back
but Ahgreyeuss
the younger boy continues
climbing the awe of washout
vertical
over the ruinous concrete
to the gentle slopes
near the top of the ridge
where the water
flows uphill
The First Flood
as the sky darkens
hungering rain
to nest in
It is still
in anticipation
when the gravel shifts
the leaves fall
and the seeds shower…
…at the bottom of the canyon
following the creek that rises
out to
the reservoir
He comes to fishermen
catching huge silver
and he runs home
to tell his brother
of the flood
The Dream Creek
…a passage through
the resonating
waves of the corrugated pipes
grey
the resonating
waves of the corrugated pipes
grey
cool
moist
with the dream cousins
over the plunge splash
to the slow dark pools
past stranded grocery carts
panning revelation
the giant reed
cultivating calm liquid arches
slipping water
terraced minerals
clear to the stony bottom
oversized
goldfish of the translucent
tropical rainforest
boreal taiga
blue
red
moist
with the dream cousins
over the plunge splash
to the slow dark pools
past stranded grocery carts
panning revelation
the giant reed
cultivating calm liquid arches
slipping water
terraced minerals
clear to the stony bottom
oversized
goldfish of the translucent
tropical rainforest
boreal taiga
blue
red
and green coursing
From the Green Camp
through a smoke of water
accepting gaze
and desire
cool
open and isolated dusk
Ahgreyeuss in the privacy
runs abandon through the blades
a moment
of unknown
But in the memory of daylight
covers
pajamas
he flees exposed
through the oaks
embarrassed
pursued
by "American Gothic" townspeople
from grade-school
textbooks with hoes
and pitchforks
In a Dugout
behind
a chain link fence
the teenage Ahgreyeuss walks back and forth
and watches a big horse
running furiously on the grass
black and glistening
it charges over the infield dust toward
him and rears
as if it were a mare
Ahgreyeuss in the dugout womb is afraid of
by the smooth and dark sex
The horse ejaculates
lacing him with heated
black tar that sticks
on his face and clothes…
Novice
.The banks are ragged
and bare
wintered
with gray canes
round
scattered stones
Ahgreyeuss
walks along the muddy creek
thinking
he has been here before
brown water
silty
rain
A structure looms
above the creek
in the vapor distance
wooden
brown
a long roof over a calm
pool
In the water
beneath the structure
there are brown-robed
monks
from the east
in a crew boat
gliding
Ahgreyeuss wades out
to join them
and they reluctantly accept him
but when he tries to enter the boat
he upsets it
nearly to sinking
and he doesn’t think
they will ever let him
and bare
wintered
with gray canes
round
scattered stones
Ahgreyeuss
walks along the muddy creek
thinking
he has been here before
brown water
silty
rain
A structure looms
above the creek
in the vapor distance
wooden
brown
a long roof over a calm
pool
In the water
beneath the structure
there are brown-robed
monks
from the east
in a crew boat
gliding
Ahgreyeuss wades out
to join them
and they reluctantly accept him
but when he tries to enter the boat
he upsets it
nearly to sinking
and he doesn’t think
they will ever let him
try again
Becoming Pahn
.…on the road
with Nomioss
Ahgreyeuss is exploring the dry
and golden buckeye woodland
warm and dusty
They stop at a monument
and climb a loose path of
decomposed granite
stone steps to
a commemorative obelisk
a ruin
looking out over the
hills of fading green
and oak
into a violent distance
Remembering
the past war
they see tanks maneuvering
across a riddled plain
with Nomioss
Ahgreyeuss is exploring the dry
and golden buckeye woodland
warm and dusty
They stop at a monument
and climb a loose path of
decomposed granite
stone steps to
a commemorative obelisk
a ruin
looking out over the
hills of fading green
and oak
into a violent distance
Remembering
the past war
they see tanks maneuvering
across a riddled plain
missiles
explode into the peaty valley floor
and Ahgreyeuss shudders at the prospect
of crossing into that scene
but his brother reassures him
turning him away
saying
“It is not for us”
Ahgreyeuss leaves his brother
walks west down the ridge
alone among stairways
olive and gray stone
He finds and greets
a ranger
guide green
who brings him to the temple columns
and leads him
inside
through a door like a tunnel
And here in the dim church
with shafts of light
illuminating dust
grand pianos are arranged
like pews
closed and soundless
The rangers
wearing black robes
performing rites like a marriage
or sacrifice
intimidating serious
possessing and regulating
access to their realm
they allow the young man to approach the altar
But as he approaches the end
of the aisle
he sees to his left
a way out
and goes to it like water
that finds its way through a constriction
Now he
is in a pale hall
like the back of an old house
used as an office
and there are two doors to consider
Behind the white one
is a universe
of old furniture
utensils
unused pianos
windows
but no way out
and a floor
too cluttered to walk
Behind the pale green door
there is a bedroom
with a woman lying in
black sheets
a nightgown
staring
light
the gentle curves of her body
showing
through the thin
and soft
films of cloth
Ahgreyeuss is looking
for the end of the building
a door
around the white walls
and bedding
and slips into the sheets
with her
Then
explode into the peaty valley floor
and Ahgreyeuss shudders at the prospect
of crossing into that scene
but his brother reassures him
turning him away
saying
“It is not for us”
Ahgreyeuss leaves his brother
walks west down the ridge
alone among stairways
olive and gray stone
He finds and greets
a ranger
guide green
who brings him to the temple columns
and leads him
inside
through a door like a tunnel
And here in the dim church
with shafts of light
illuminating dust
grand pianos are arranged
like pews
closed and soundless
The rangers
wearing black robes
performing rites like a marriage
or sacrifice
intimidating serious
possessing and regulating
access to their realm
they allow the young man to approach the altar
But as he approaches the end
of the aisle
he sees to his left
a way out
and goes to it like water
that finds its way through a constriction
Now he
is in a pale hall
like the back of an old house
used as an office
and there are two doors to consider
Behind the white one
is a universe
of old furniture
utensils
unused pianos
windows
but no way out
and a floor
too cluttered to walk
Behind the pale green door
there is a bedroom
with a woman lying in
black sheets
a nightgown
staring
light
the gentle curves of her body
showing
through the thin
and soft
films of cloth
Ahgreyeuss is looking
for the end of the building
a door
around the white walls
and bedding
and slips into the sheets
with her
Then
as he turns to hold her
the land begins to shake
and the walls to fall away
noisily
allowing the sunlight
to fill the air
the land begins to shake
and the walls to fall away
noisily
allowing the sunlight
to fill the air
revealing
the open landscape again
with no roads
or trails
And into the wilderness
becoming
Pahn
through
stony pastures
the open landscape again
with no roads
or trails
And into the wilderness
becoming
Pahn
through
stony pastures
Ahgreyeuss sets out
.
.
Ahstrild
brown eyes in cream blowing
white
and blue
the ice
of winds through knitted
wool baking bread
small touch
pale eggs
a linen
a bear cushioned embrace
lying low and rolling
forest lakes
the small bodies
in wood and stone
felt
yellow braid
We
climb
on wind feather
threading
sea gull
butterfly
wings
a multitude
of legs
and fingers
in the air
dry
far
threading
sea gull
butterfly
wings
a multitude
of legs
and fingers
in the air
dry
far
cool
Flooded Room
he is floating
in the ocean
under a darkening sky
trying to drink
or see
he swims
in the ocean
under a darkening sky
trying to drink
or see
he swims
into a room full of water
treading voices
listening
to others there
A thin woman
with dark hair
and night-lit face
swims over to him
She is naked
pulling him
meeting his eyes
with open lips
But when he reaches
timidly
in words
or gestures
she pushes away
as if
he is unable
to be with her
and he remembers
even into childhood
that she
has always been
untouchable
treading voices
listening
to others there
A thin woman
with dark hair
and night-lit face
swims over to him
She is naked
pulling him
meeting his eyes
with open lips
But when he reaches
timidly
in words
or gestures
she pushes away
as if
he is unable
to be with her
and he remembers
even into childhood
that she
has always been
untouchable
Tsovinar
Thin skin
burn dropping
temper into drought
thick brows
dark wool the muffle of wavy
hair how blood rises and falls an
inconsistent
convection of heat and rain pelting
heavily
we
caress smoke
lightning
a sky erases
a curtain
twists
long after
crusting
shade
lightning
a sky erases
a curtain
twists
long after
crusting
shade
Waxing
.A letter from Tsovinar
she writes
“Wish you were here more than anything”
Ahgreyeuss
smiles for a while
but says
“I am dreaming
she didn’t write that
Our love has waned”
So he sleeps
and time passes…
…he wanders in a university
a beige building
mostly empty
he is looking
distracted
He opens a door
a room full of people
playing instruments
wearing black
He sits with them
and says
“This is where I belong”
He begins work on a symphony
Leaving the beige building
he finds Tsovinar walking
in the quadrangle
and they lean together
she writes
“Wish you were here more than anything”
Ahgreyeuss
smiles for a while
but says
“I am dreaming
she didn’t write that
Our love has waned”
So he sleeps
and time passes…
…he wanders in a university
a beige building
mostly empty
he is looking
distracted
He opens a door
a room full of people
playing instruments
wearing black
He sits with them
and says
“This is where I belong”
He begins work on a symphony
Leaving the beige building
he finds Tsovinar walking
in the quadrangle
and they lean together
kissing
His hand is in her shirt
Her skin feels waxy—
wax
like the covering
of Gouda cheese
Scraping the wax
His hand is in her shirt
Her skin feels waxy—
wax
like the covering
of Gouda cheese
Scraping the wax
he asks her
“What is it?”
but she doesn’t know
.
.
Rocks and Gravel
with red leaves floating
unmoved
still flat pools
of low water
Ahgreyeuss
sits
rests
black
transparent cold
and she comes by
the trail thicket
looking at him
with only a white shirt
desirous
observing
He is glad deep
But his friends
walking down the trail
they see her too
and say
"Lets go get her"
and Ahgreyeuss panics
responds ineffectually
“No
she looked at me”
And while he arranges
his arguments
she turns and runs
followed by his friends who give chase
and disappear
into vegetation
Ahgreyeuss is contrite
feels he must find her
to distance himself
in her mind from the other men
He goes down through the bushes
crossing back over the trail
worried among rocks
He sees her running
gravel-leafed
scratched
scrambling up the canyon slope
and is compelled to pursue her
forgetting his purpose
crawling up the steep earth
to the ridge
where the woods open
to the bigger land
to the dry scree
where
between stones
she shrinks
Faster downhill
she shrinks
and Ahgreyeuss has become large
chasing a mouse
wondering
why
She multiplies
faster
many mice run
down dry
So dry
he runs
no longer knowing
his
intent
Rakhehla
From the wilderness
by stages rainless stony
striking rocks for water
sanctuary
to be in pain
because of the expanse of
thunder is filled
barren then flowering
deep
wet
touching the soft desert pouch
of contained liquid
standing by the circle of stones
asking for drink
mouth damp
well and stone
lip and dipper
We are
parting dry
into the dusty
sparse
liminal
steps
toward a remote
slaking
Seeking Wayland
.There is a note in Ahgreyeuss Pahn’s pocket
It is Wayland’s address
Ahgreyeuss goes to meet him
Busy
large
cross street
a white convertible skids to a stop
There is a wealthy woman inside
wearing white
“Get in and drive”
she says
angrily
Ahgreyeuss ignores her
He jaywalks
A policeman stops him
The policeman is angry too
he says
“You are an asshole I’m gonna write you up for jay-
walking fella jaywalking that lady wanted you to drive
her car so that her son could be saved but you wouldn’t do it
Now her son is dead
someone is dead because of you”
Ahgreyeuss protests
“I didn’t know
She didn’t say—
how could I know?”
The policeman calms
apologizes
says
its O.K.
Ahgreyeuss walks up streets
shaken
left
right
up a hill
following the notes directions
Where Wayland’s house should be
there is a bar
He keeps walking
He reaches the university grounds
a Japanese garden
many new students
strangers
He speaks to a friend
A woman comes to chat—
he ignores her
She is not Wayland
He leaves
He returns to the bar where Wayland’s house should be
There are telephones
He calls Rakhehla—
no answer
He calls her twice—
no answer
(the telephone is black)
He calls her again—
she doesn’t
know where Wayland is
She says
“I love you”
On another telephone
someone is calling someone
She is a girl in leotards
Ahgreyeuss asks her
if she knows where Wayland is
“Wayland couldn’t come”
She says
It is Wayland’s address
Ahgreyeuss goes to meet him
Busy
large
cross street
a white convertible skids to a stop
There is a wealthy woman inside
wearing white
“Get in and drive”
she says
angrily
Ahgreyeuss ignores her
He jaywalks
A policeman stops him
The policeman is angry too
he says
“You are an asshole I’m gonna write you up for jay-
walking fella jaywalking that lady wanted you to drive
her car so that her son could be saved but you wouldn’t do it
Now her son is dead
someone is dead because of you”
Ahgreyeuss protests
“I didn’t know
She didn’t say—
how could I know?”
The policeman calms
apologizes
says
its O.K.
Ahgreyeuss walks up streets
shaken
left
right
up a hill
following the notes directions
Where Wayland’s house should be
there is a bar
He keeps walking
He reaches the university grounds
a Japanese garden
many new students
strangers
He speaks to a friend
A woman comes to chat—
he ignores her
She is not Wayland
He leaves
He returns to the bar where Wayland’s house should be
There are telephones
He calls Rakhehla—
no answer
He calls her twice—
no answer
(the telephone is black)
He calls her again—
she doesn’t
know where Wayland is
She says
“I love you”
On another telephone
someone is calling someone
She is a girl in leotards
Ahgreyeuss asks her
if she knows where Wayland is
“Wayland couldn’t come”
She says
.
.
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