she swallowed Wallace Stevens
but could only cough up seven blackbirds
pie or no pie
we still count gold
teased with honey
pull feathers for the tar baby decoy
she said she said she said
this will only hurt
if you can feel it
cabin 2
secret get-away
for those like us
who need to get a
way to forget
dearest Three, I am sorry
but Two cannot come to the phone
please try again later
she paints four boat tail grackles
they strut by, eye us up
looking for the one who is going to pay:
he is she is they are
always the next in line
for the crown
our five year old reveals:
the legend of how crow got her rainbow feathers
is actually the legend
of how she lost them
VI.
because you are a perfect number
I will give you this verse properly labeled
you who divides by two or three
with equal ease
what is better
than a table
set for six?
seven, seven
seventy-seven
your extra syllables
tripped up our elementary rhythms
like January and February
like the step you missed
at the bottom of the landing
expecting something more
