Object Permanence and Other Poems
Object Permanence
I want to know how things will end. I’ve heard of the beginning,
how grains of pollen fell from the poplars. Then a little choral
music, cavalry, bright skirmish on the hillside, a thousand
years of this. Here is a flute and here is a steamship. Here is a gun
years of this. Here is a flute and here is a steamship. Here is a gun
and your grandmother’s ring. The devil has seven blue heads,
and when we draw him on the inside of the chapel, each one
and when we draw him on the inside of the chapel, each one
tells a different lie. How many gods do you believe in?
How many good men? The story of the world can be told
How many good men? The story of the world can be told
in relation to umbrellas, invented in the seventh century
when we finally had enough rain. Don’t look at the gun
when we finally had enough rain. Don’t look at the gun
directly. And don’t remove the flute from its sheath of ice.
The end’s already in motion, the end was starting this whole
The end’s already in motion, the end was starting this whole
time, and today Brooklyn is a beautiful, devastating autumn.
Everyone I love is dancing in the plaza. A band plays below
Everyone I love is dancing in the plaza. A band plays below
the archway, we’re drinking wine and rolling up our sleeves
to show the soft parts of our arms. When this ends I hope
to show the soft parts of our arms. When this ends I hope
it ends completely. How brave I feel right now, watching
my old friends beside my father and imagining the end
my old friends beside my father and imagining the end
as one imagines something certain, a birthday or a doctor’s
visit. Not like last year when we watched the movie about
visit. Not like last year when we watched the movie about
ruins—I ignored the crusted amphitheater and wanted
to touch you. It was February. You wore a long blue coat.
to touch you. It was February. You wore a long blue coat.