in sky so nameless susannah lodge-rigal
you scale up & up the river
birch—small & asking—remember
your feet & panic—below
I’m singing honey
from the ground—honey
come down You come down
crying—the whole country side widening again
into itself—the meanwhiles go awful blooming--
we move
toward the pecking birds—watch them lift & take
a shape in sky so nameless
no one calls it dancing—if this senseless ever
folds into form I couldn’t call it mercy—on days like this
I listen —eyes shut—
for you singing—quiet low: many days you have
lingered around my cabin door
birch—small & asking—remember
your feet & panic—below
I’m singing honey
from the ground—honey
come down You come down
crying—the whole country side widening again
into itself—the meanwhiles go awful blooming--
we move
toward the pecking birds—watch them lift & take
a shape in sky so nameless
no one calls it dancing—if this senseless ever
folds into form I couldn’t call it mercy—on days like this
I listen —eyes shut—
for you singing—quiet low: many days you have
lingered around my cabin door
leaves show silver & everyone shifts susannah lodge-rigal
toward cover—looks up & worries small
Riverboats shrink themselves away
to dock & wait out
I wonder same as anyone when the pour
will come & if soon I’ll attend
again the blue arounding Nearer to me
you soundless say that which anchors in
you anchors elsewhere & awhile now
The minute rounds The soon sky
empties out slow blooming I borrow
your imagination—elsewhere & awhile now undoing skies us
whether cover or without In staying
I’ll keep asking will this hold or weather:
leaves, pour, blooming, cover,
boat, soundless, staying, will--
Riverboats shrink themselves away
to dock & wait out
I wonder same as anyone when the pour
will come & if soon I’ll attend
again the blue arounding Nearer to me
you soundless say that which anchors in
you anchors elsewhere & awhile now
The minute rounds The soon sky
empties out slow blooming I borrow
your imagination—elsewhere & awhile now undoing skies us
whether cover or without In staying
I’ll keep asking will this hold or weather:
leaves, pour, blooming, cover,
boat, soundless, staying, will--
Susannah Lodge-Rigal is an MFA candidate at Colorado State University, where she teaches composition and serves as an associate editor for the Center for Literary Publishing. Her work as appeared in Colorado Review, Timber, Sycamore Review, and elsewhere.