one by one
First published in Frogpond 16:2, Fall–Winter 1993, page 38. Originally written from early January 1992 to early April of 1993.
linked verse by anne mckay and Michael Dylan Welch
at the mission clinic the woman’s winter fingers winding gauze anne
beneath the table scraps left by the dog Michael
eyes ghostgreen briefly in the streetlamp’s light anne
opening the back door the wind Michael
again that person from porlock breaking my silence anne
moonlight shaping the statue Michael
a distant sax the artist’s brush pinched to a point Michael
secretly she strokes her sables anne
breath held undoing the buttons one by one Michael
his face forgotten now but not the touch anne
tossed out a bronzed baby shoe with unread news Michael
they wait when they should turn to journeys anne
gone with the wind the red toupee Michael
clown tripping perfectly anne
high school reunion the valedictorian’s straight teeth Michael
vinny and I swapping sweet lies anne
home from the flea market flowers in a rusted bucket Michael
scratchandwin her fifth ticket today anne
rhythm of the night sulky racers almost a mantra anne
grain by grain the sand mandala Michael
this white this toosoon snow a bitter harvest anne
slow-moving train between rippling fields Michael
softly and low ‘going home going home i am going home’ anne
rows of crosses a silver bugle Michael
flaming the coldcoloured window paper poppies anne
spinning prism the newborn’s waving hand Michael
northward seven swans to the place of the long rainbow anne
the shiny eyes of a stuffed timberwolf Michael
beneath the greenbay tree these curious prints anne
going-out-of-business sign freshly painted Michael
pinned to the back wall the framing shop’s first dollar Michael
with his butterfly collection in winter waiting anne
all day the ice-fisherman on a yellow lawn chair Michael
out of the lemon grove the bees’ first flight anne
spring thunder the red and white flag folded on the mantel Michael
footsteps fade into morning anne