Nathan Lefkoff

 

Calculated Poetics

 

5/23/13

 

 

 

“Mantis! praying mantis! since your wings’ leaves

And your terrified eyes, pins, bright, black and poor”

 

-Zukofsky

 

“River that must turn full after I stop dying

Song, my song, raise grief to music

Light as my loves’ thought, the few sick

So sick of wrangling: thus weeping,

Sounds of light stay in her keeping…”

 

-Zukofsky

 

“The Rhino is a lovely beast…”

 

-Zukofsky

 

 

Eyes and lips, eyes and lips

now you are a lovely beast

and I, a lonely mantis.

Forelegs folded, stone upon stone

thus weeping.

 

Once for preying, these arms and body pray now

in dream and in sentient thought

for a death or a birth.

Enough with this weird limbo.

 

After I stop dying

I will be borne into my mind that bares the weight of your eyes and lips.

The night sky dangles a faraway planet

which looms like a beautiful ghost

and hopefully someday

will come circling back to these arms akimbo.