2 POEM FRAGMENTS, Napa

The violin's small scale 

climbs above the metronome, 

small bejeweled clicks 

patterning mountains of notes,

increasing in tempo, 

a sonic pitch invades,

the strings lose their time,

the bow loosens 

and the hand falls silent.

9/1/1983

Napa? no date

Ducks slip into births and sleep 

in the shade of trees at noon. 

I feed them raspberries. 

Ducks masticating raspberries 

in a khaki colored lagoon. 

They swim over rotted bull rushes 

the way birds fly over 

invisible boundaries of fences. 

The word trespass is an unintelligible concept 

we see the line fall short of the mark. 

Either we plunge into the murky depths 

shedding drops of light from our breasts 

or we cower silently in the tall rushes 

and listen to the cackle and skirted rustle 

of ducks, afraid of the depths.

9/1/1983

Napa

First draft

the ducks slip out of the shade of trees, 

awaken from their nap by the approach, 

I feed them raspberries. 

They're masticating raspberries 

in the khaki colored lagoon.

They swim away over the bull rushes 

and I am reminded of the way birds 

fly over invisible boundaries of fences, 

barbed, electric, or wood

it doesn't matter.

The signs of no trespassing are not read.

To trespass is an unintelligible concept for birds.

I read the lines and fall short of the mark. 

Even if we climbed into the murky depths 

drops of light from our breasts, 

or we hope her silently in the tall tule rushes 

and listen to the started rustle and clacking 

of ducks afraid of the murky depths.

9/1/1983

Napa

added 10/16