Jos Charles                                                  

                                                    II.

Having grown tired of a length

of habit, petitioners in beggar’s habit 

I remember leaving the backyard seat we’d been sitting 

                                and coming upon the decision to go it 

                                     alone and walked to the car where 

                                      hazel eye, without a shirt on, I was 

                        on my knees, a sovereignty I had thought 

         sturdied enough to touch and was not. 

         My wildhead bent through every angle

          of that car door. Were I to beg

          to watch shadows swallow the yard would we know? 

          Beyond the shallow wall where tips of fern leaves used

           to show the slimmest crown of green. 

                                                                                   Be not afraid.

                                                     III. 

Glory be to the asterisk.  A star.  The stone lying upon the paten.  I awoke to the

boundary stones moved in the night. I covered my eyes and would not let go.

   I crossed and covered my feet. Preferring this to not even when you would

         not speak, I thought I will reach for you if your reach for me. I thought 

             I too shall not speak. I thought names are given only in mastery. 

                 Because you did not reach for me, because I did not reach 

                    I bent low to feed the cat, split my lip on the table’s end. 

                               She is on my feet she sits as I write you this. 

                             Why do you look for the living among the dead.

                            A name occurs where we dare not speak. Again

                               and again. Anaphoric. A name— the already

                                 given without as it occurs within. An alcove 

                             coppice stone. No new messages on my phone. 

                                             Where else for a dove to land. 

                                                                  Amen.