Song After

1.

Song after a song after story
one of the stories which end in stumps or falsely
which are made up of poses of positions and transpositions
of positions

arms crossed her arms holding herself to herself letting her hair down
slowly so to speak

arms uncrossed band around the body of the throat
velvet
hair brushed back almost matted
from brushing from the almost painful brushing
body of the body all of it floating gone to a stone region somewhere else
floating somewhere else

hair brushed back head
to one side

2.

Positions
transpositions

seated on a chair hair let down detail of hands
detail
detail of unpainted fingernails

seated by a tree in the woods tucked into light into shadow by a tree
autumnal

seated on a chair hair let down flowers
quiet intransigent shy
shock of the reappearance of the bride wildflowers in her hair

on her knees not seated
head to one side her
hands clasped behind her back.

3.

Let it be a lullaby
song after

for she who sings herself to sleep
vocalise

rise not
swollen and swelling aria over cellos not that sound the sound
of her breathing
and fall
effortless breathing
as breath of a sleeping child given voice
vocalise

not September song not a seduction song a lullaby
not the song of a rattling tambourine held by a nymph held by a satyr
gift of a lullaby and of goodnight.