laurel tree, limbs bent and twined into crown heifer bank of marsh reeds,
handful lashed into pipes, song in another breath a clutch of conifers, weeping
amber black bear, quarry, constellation white crow, black crow grass-
cropping mare flames voice repeating the last darkened mulberry
fragrant incense seeping out of the ground violet-like flower tracing
the sun’s path rock darkness-seeking bats sea goddess rock
rock rock rock rock seabirds serpent a prize, a bride
monster crowned in snakes, ossifier, weapon black and white magpies
arguing in near-language water-flowing-fountain half-alive, half-dead
flock of tuneful, maiden-faced birds one of a pair of mountains crane
stork ash-gray spider weaving her traps in the corners of the ceiling
corpse corpse corpse corpse corpse corpse corpse
spring weeping into the summit’s anorexic air nightingale swallow
traitor, mother, cast-off ex-wife, witch, weaver of the poisoned robe, deadly gift,
filicide, unnatural marble figure corpse patricide, exile, heron
diadem in the sky guinea hens five isles a further island linden tree
slave then fisherman then mare then bird then cow then deer weasel lotus
that bleeds when plucked lotus spring flowing from a shrub-oak tree
male twice-dead shade rock whores, shame burning their bodies red into
rock myrrh lioness grove of oaks halcyon male barking
bitch snapping her jaws snow-white doves deadly whirlpool virgin-
faced hounds snarling between her thighs water, then nothing a statue
of a woman a star inside her husband constellation corpse, living female,
fountain of chilled water