on a photograph of a Roman grave
Long jaw tipped
toward a woman’s chipped
anklebone, a dog curls
her twenty-six ribs around a bowl
of pink glass. This grave
is love’s evidence,
of pink glass. This grave
is love’s evidence,
that what lies at the foot still
might rise and want a drink,
that the owner might rise too
might rise and want a drink,
that the owner might rise too
and find herself walking,
dog heeled, to the land
of the dead: the dog
dog heeled, to the land
of the dead: the dog
was deathless / they killed her
the day her mistress died.
So we hypothesize.
the day her mistress died.
So we hypothesize.
