‘the narrow frightening light,
before a sunrise’

that moving across
  California
            New York,
            Mexico,
we can trace a
politic of revision

choices made while young
– the directions –
            given or sought out
in distress, as a
condition
            remain
words in a series,
            a method
responding to memory

            momentary
simple as a struck
            cheek, reflexive – the
break’s sharpness
& yet a
steadied hand for
            what remained
     a decision,         for lack of —

the result of silence: a posing
of the second question

            “What has been done?”

            balsam

juniper
           
            those that appear as

crucial,                           
                       
            rudimentary

            reasons for

tapping the surface of water

           
            utterance

a barren geometry

where each is a beginning

            in  design

the draft

drawn-blue remnants

                        of music

self-imposed a,            corner

            then rim of fontanelle

a frieze of brick,

                  flesh, traced

runnels suggesting worm-eaten wood

                        2. within certain dimensions of a murmur

           
            (“is”
                       
                        not

            “as”    —a shame—    is),

                        exist,             if we talk in particulars,

                        scribble

                        knaw—

                                    effort,            to secure against

the residuals           

            (a sound of shattering glass)

                                                                       3.   once thought of four walls
                                               
                                                                        equating each shape                                                                                                                       

                                                                        some notations contain purpose,
                                                           
                                                                        a “not trusting” of autonomy

4.            small expansions of color

               
             violet then,

                        crackle

                        fade

            fluorescent arc

                       
                        only
                       

                          the morning left

                                    for pictures