4.23.2007

I'm on jury duty this week, so blogging will be minimal. Here's another scribble for Fontegaia chapt. 2 :

6


The swelling crowd fills the Campo-conch
like the roar of the sea - contrada banners
swoop and flutter, sailing - glory to Siena!
Horses, horsemen jostle in the cinch


of the lead-rope - twilight inches forward
from the bell-tower - the tenth horse
starts his run... the race is on (hoarse
cries of rival jockeys, lashes of calf-pud).


Peacock rivalry, testosterone.
O vain people! Chasing a bloody rag
around the haybales (for a brag).
This is about the poets (non-Verona).


You hold the key to the highway, cowboy
(sucking your pacifier). It's cold
in the mountains (iron manifold) -
where snow locks up the almond eye


in a hexagon of exempla - where the race
wheels around a cast-off labyrinth
and the frothing beast (ninth
horse of the Apocalypse) reflects your face.

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