for T.J. (on the occasion of your premiere)


appraise compare conclude contrast criticize
critique defend describe discriminate evaluate
explain interpret justify relate support summarize
a water tower

the verticality
of which enables
more than one

thirst to hover

or so my father sang
the basin aswarm in feathers
a silver cataclysmic tone

how to wrench him now
from the mirrored pillory

and gently bait him back
from gesturer to gesture

until what is important gets chased.

to swim
and feed vessels
lying them on the blanket for perusal

is inhalation: simple as
a sun-defined stone
or the filtered
diagonal
shadows
that cross it.