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1 " Where is his father?When will his mother be home?How is he going to explainthe moon taken hostage, the searisen to fill up all the mirrors?How is he going to explain the branchesbeginning to grow from his ribs and throat,the cries and trills starting in his own mouth?And now that ancient sorrow between his hips,his body’s ripe listening;the planetknowing itself at last. "
― Li-Young Lee , Book of My Nights
2 " The moon from any window is one partwhoever’s looking. The part I can’t seeis everything my sister keeps to herself. One part my dead brother’s sleepless brow, the other part the time I waste, the timeI won’t have. But which is the lionkilled for the sake of the honey inside him, and which the wine, strandedin a valley, unredeemed? And don’t forget the curtains. Don’t forget the windin the trees, or my mother’s voice saying thingsthat will take my whole life to come true. One part earnest child grown tallin his mother’s doorway, and one a last lookover the shoulder before leaving. And never forget it answers to no address, but calls wave after waveto a path or thirst. Never forgetthe candle climbing downwithout glancing back. And what about the heartcounting alone, out loud, in that gamein which the many hide from the one? Never forget the crycompletely hollowed of the dying onewho cried it. Only in such pure outpouringis there room for all this night. "
3 " DwellingAs though touching hermight make him known to himself,as though his hand movingover her body might find whohe is, as though he lay inside her, a countryhis hand's traveling uncovered,as though such a country arosecontinually up out of herto meet his hand's setting forth and setting forth.And the places on her body have no names.And she is what's immense about the night.And their clothes on the floor are arrangedfor forgetfulness. "
4 " Echo and ShadowA roomand a room. And between themshe leans in the doorwayto say something,lintel bright above her face,threshold dark beneath her feet,her hands behind her head gatheringher hair to tie and tuck at the nape.A world and a world.Dying and not dying.And between themthe curtains blowingand the shadows they make on her body,a shadow of birds, a single flock,a myriad body of wings and criesturning and diving in complex unison.Shadow of bells,or the shadow of the soundthey make in the air, mornings, evenings,everywhere I wait for her,as even now her voiceseems a lasting echoof my heart’s calling me home, its storyan ocean beyond my human beginning,each wave tolling the whole noteof my outcome and belonging. "
5 " One Heart"Look at the birds. Even flyingis bornout of nothing. The first skyis inside you, Friend, openat either end of day.The work of wingswas always freedom, fasteningone heart to every falling thing. "