A Pair of Poems

The river continues to flow at night
In a different city.
Tomorrow: river broken, smashed.
For us the ancient tool-shed
Holds its heat.
The women lope and maw
With kitten wings.
The men are stupid and strong.
Now the great bird has landed on the ground
And everyone is gone to trees.
Some clattering will get me,
Some squirrelish chattering.
Perhaps some other fate.

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I put a vision into my heart to destroy it.
I put a thought in my eye to blind it:
Colorless light, extending sideways
Across fields with no wheat,
Yards with no trees,
Unrecognizable streets.
The yellow lights along the highway
Making a loud noise.
A glow to cover every face,
A hum to fill up every space.
I built a fire to burn out while I sleep.
When I awake, I'll walk around
Or find somewhere to wait.