Wozu Dichter?

her amnesia an approach to understanding her life

her face the war years
her hair a banner of rain
her hands blue in the well
her wet skirt wrapping her legs

hills thinning at the world's edge
his absence fills with passing clouds, the script of birds, and
    schoolchildren's voices
his ashen hands having passed through the window of his truck
his can of dark tabacco, his yellow finch in a cage
his footsteps disapearing as he walked
his grave strewn with slipper flowers and sardine cans
his hands, detritus reaching through a window washed away
his words sparkling in the raw air

history branded with the mark of uncertainty
history decaying
history decaying into images

horse clearing an obstacle
horses, poppies, trees with trunks like sycamores and leaves like maples
hot, the burry of stars
hour of no matins
house of being

From Carolyn Forché's On Earth.

The photograph on the cover is by Adam Fuss, a mate of mine in high school.  ¶ 7:02 PM