"Orphanotrophium"

2001

Six o'clock and the sky still there.
A little life at bay on the stairway,
               a lesson in white with some red
               added for conduct disorderly —

               according to matrons and patrons.

No schoolbook says a piece of ice
can scrape and slit bloodlessly
               through secondhand words we wear
               regardless of tongue and tie.

               Then how to speak languages fluently?

A tilt of the head to separate
the lung from all the colored marbles
               in the mouth will cover your tracks,
               blow dust in the courtyard.

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