Notes on Surviving a Tornado
Know the beats
Skip the tremors
Love you more than ever
What is it about letters
Remember his eyes
as she finished the fresco
Have you never felt this
Have you never
left anywhere ever
Letters post
first thing early
Take the hit
The empty-eyed
juncture on the map
She woke up feeling
a little bit better
stretched thinner
lost wider
touch of white
—
The street kicked her in the face
The wind poked her in the eye
in the brain
She hung a banner
and called herself clutch
and quit going out
She severed the lining
from the house
The house’s body
stitched itself up
What I’d have done probably
It made sense
She can’t let go
like two red shoes
Did you watch her rose
until she was home
—
I don’t know what to sign myself
The rapt pause
The feet sticking out
How the sunset
is tin for her
The dead match
The blue pencil
Unsure of her treasure
she embraced his black overcoat
Mannequin on top
tired in the face
I thought I felt your head on my shoulder
I used to sleep in your arms
Eleven times perhaps
under the house
