selections from limb by limb: the collected letters of dk
della watson
my dear e,
a breath's worth of space by the word, the world, it floods us, like light through a window.
we rehearsed our hymns. beyond the cross, the shedding sycamores stand, bone after bone.
_____ took hand into clamshell palms. catherine's toes found her shoes.
my longing walks beneath the bare branches. as sermon has turned our eyes to signs, we should--__________--know by now.
yours,
d k
bide,
it is prudent to cool. stall till
that next vestibule, where i'll want still, i'll
defer.
my dear bide,
as i have known cloistral clutter, a watch of a clutch.
(cloy.)
i line in delay, i lay.
yours,
in wait
prolix,
what pluck. pluck, pluck, pluck.
luck? prolific.
prey prays; stays, frets
whines wind and strangle, strings
along. . . plod.
in brief, the plow.
oh pry,
tuck off. prune.
my reply. . . .wait. . . .temper. . . .
clip. clip. a tone,
a tune, wretched plume. a turn, wretched prowl.
i declare______________________________________________
(cut)
ha!
truly,
my ploy: mute
ravel,
with each visit we twist. weight a door for shamble.
must i nurse the rawboned? must i pinch the wick?
knot of requite; comb of remorse;
find my hair on the sham.
dk
shift,
bound to cover, i'll not
leave duty--for tempest--
shelve me dear, my dear
my stay--honed stark--
hush, repute me,
dk
dear______,
it was heavy till a shower dropped the heat a bit. the long days.
catherine is ill, so ill. how can i speak. the congregation expects a song.
(my soul grows.) have i said i do not miss david, i do not daisy, i do not
wed wed wed. the rain has the rain has come on to us. wait it out wait it
out, she'll __________ when the light enters.
i pace, i
walk the planks of the floor. the crowd gathers on the porch. rocking chairs.
i set the kettle on the table.
i pour a cup.
wait for me, i'll catch it. i'll wade and be under, i'll be covered.
sing it, sing the rest. branch by branch. we break to make a nest for our
hopes.
there is no other entry but to be shone.
the child put his head below the water and slept. he was not seen to want air.
handle my head,
find the nape,
palm me home.
the sky from the eyes flood with wet,
so the sun will appear a stain, a needle.
the shine to pierce the solemn
prayer of cloud.
what dress shall i bring her. which mend shall i stitch.
the women with dishes, the men remove their hats. a hymn is heard. a hymn.
how they cherish her destruction.
if i spill, i have
a cloth to wipe
over.
i have a saucer.
i have a biscuit.
i put my right hand in my pocket.
sore from it.
this rest is for none.
call her.
call her.
dk
shunt,
requisite diversion from
bed self-sown--to dawn--
perennial light--to right
course. fling seed to dirt--
turn home, by fast leave
my ditch lips word-clean.
from my self--withheld
c,
so felt the belt buckle moon. kitten--we learn to hinge.
my dear e,
the air is wise to warm these shut eyes. an eager green creeps over a winter bare frame,
and i'll grow along with it. release is willful. action--naive. i cannot give you a cause
for birdsong, for silence. i cannot recall the winter. in my care, snow becomes a wall,
and the cold shelter bears all but sun. here is the wet ground, where we'll feed our souls
by burial. ask me for mourning, for i am lack of dove.
returned,
dk