Reynolds & Midway 51

I can make a temple or church w my hands

it's easy, but to explain it, not, and I know

what yr thinking: not that thing we did as kids

with here's the steeple and look at all the

people—not that, w fingers waving. I mean

put them together, think symmetry, you are

sitting, look down at yr hands. Put your hands

together, as in prayer, then put some space

between yr palms, make like the letter A w

your fingertips touching equally, force out yr

knuckles, they are the boards, the woode that

made the walls of the church, now look at yr

thumbs: nails are, say, faces looking back at you

erect, standing: they stand close like houses whan

they made those houses huddle together like

people, in Amsterdam Rome Venice Napoli

Madrid Toledo etc. Have you got it yet? An idea

your hands made concrete, or was it the other

way around? Now the thumbs: let us leave below

the knuckles a wink of space, and that shall be

the door, and above the nails—and let the nails

be trimmd— there shall be, if you try, with 1 eye

closed (pick 0ne] a space shaped like a diamond,

perhaps a club, as in cards, not that which with

to beat or mutilate I mean that as in a deck of

to end in a preposition naturally and further up

above where those two little pinkies meet an-

other diamond shape or club, a window—

lookt at rightly, we may worship there.

2.24.15

En Route

We lay sidewise, to our left Mount Sholo loomed,

and beyond it, Nogun Peak. Walking Bear

a cloud ahead of Skyhorse. The wind screamed,

the fabric of the Cosmos felt a tear.

Above, below, the Ancients battled, bolts

of massive force collided in old war.

So we lay still, beneath our heavy pelts,

and spoke in whispers, glad for the sun's flight,

for the deep hours, like two newborn colts,

licked and awkward, squinting in the light.

Now when we turn we see the colored tents

on Trone, where we are pegged down for a night

of Everwinter, where the violence

of bitter winds and frantic, whipping snow

whistle and rip at rugged tarpaulins

that keep us safe and sound. Too soon the glow

of dawn leaks through the kinks that lay us bare

to God, the world. And so we rise, and go.

Tannhauser Gate shines dim and winks afar.

12.24.14 —2.22.15