in th e ni ght, wha t you call " random possession "
Randomn ess, wha t it res ts on . By morning
th e green li za rd shakes a new palm leaf
T h:)[ we can still ho ld th e li ght like sea shell s
our chance, is fi rs t faith , and repea t
the spira l swirl of a fall en bl ossom on the pa th
the sa lmon color fading, a n ew one falling
Each a god 's descent to the papery mu sic of wind
sweeping away dry ones in a ra inl ess summer
as if th e hu e of the next fea ther were the shedding
Peti on vill e, H a iti 1976
Brian Swann
FAIRY TALE
he fed th e horse in its soft mou tho
it dunged and he turned in to th e pa lace,
its g lass veranda and p lants, its
garden party with sun . he'd
marri ed th e princess and now went
lookin g for h er. h e knew the queen-mo ther
d isapproved though she was nowhere
to be seen . a footman approached
with a sil ver tray and no thing on it.
the footman pointed to the fl owered carpet
under hi s feet and left.
th e man put hi s toe under the carpet
and found ano ther underneath. he got
the message and left for ever.
outside th e horse too had gone.
and its soft mouth .
