Forrest Gander's most recent books are Science & Steepleflower (New Directions, 1998) and No Shelter:
The Selected Poems of Pura Lopez Colome (translations from the Spanish, forthcoming from Graywolf).





Love's Letter: To C


Inside, inside the return, inside, the hero diminishes.
Over her vessel they place a veil, and when it is lifted
the name of the vessel has been lost. Consider
the darkness of the water which has no scent
and neither can it swallow. Yet the ship's bow
extends over the proscenium like a horse
at a fence and the orchestra stands and files out.
On the long walk home, I long to see your face.







Silence

What closes and then luminous? What opens and then dark?

Kawarazaki Gonjuro steps from his make-up mirror
Into the violet extinction, taste of eggwhite

On his lips. The ocean's slant eye
Shutting on sand while children at jungle gyms

Parachute upward like seeds
From the dandelion's feathery pappus.

The birdwatcher lifts her glasses. Halo light
Perforates the curtains of her retinas.

And the valves of every ear blow open. Then

Rain, not in torrents, but ceaselessly comes
Unchecked out of everywhere with nothing
To slacken it.