Kate Partridge
and when the hills opened
a canyon in the crook of
one arm we all ran in
carrying the road between us
like a carpet like a casket
we placed it in the lowest
fold of the valley and set
the houses smart at its sides
the canyon was already
grinding in its sleep and
to use the self as a barrier
is a great act of bravery
in our culture even if
one's position is fault
in any case words come
down faster from mountains
where we render ourselves
with baskets grammatically
open for the next season of
fires to paint us in ash again