LAST WORD
Scavenging Raven found a crust
of broken mirror for
his nest above the river,
in a craggy oak (Blackstone, dust-
laden, winding her copper yarn
just east of Providence).
Po (or Eridanus)
glinted in that shard; a purple crayon
traced a spiral crane-dance there,
pinned to a dove-grey water-
wheel (by hand). The daughter
of Caesar trolled a welded cluster
of rust-rose keys just below the surface –
keys to the worm-riddled door
of haunted Sant’ Apollinaire
in Classe (where Pharos ghost-sails
teem for Stilicho, Galla Placidia).
At his perch, Cautantowwit
reads smokefires lit
from Paris – On 29th of May
Corn Maiden will pirouette
one Final Show (a Waltz
to End All Wars). Salt
is good, croaks the haunted vet –
share salt amongst yourselves, &
be at peace. The night bird
oars southwest – his last word
whistled into silence (prairie-land).
8.23.16
Note : on Aug. 23, 408, the great Byzantine general Stilicho was executed in Ravenna.
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