What Lives Within, Dies Without
after Sarah Boyle
Margot, you're like the rest of them, the snatcher
—a mirror is--
perplexed at welded seams and hemmed in air.
—separates us--
A sometimes mad woman in the attic
—mourning edges--
reflect light, incident light, concentrate
—exactly as--
light, momentum-enhance light, mirror light.
—leaving his--
You are a menace, Margot, you are a
—it’s always his--
small handed box in the attic. Posed. Stumped.
—you finish us--
John says, it wasn’t coming from the loft,
—still in layers--
and the constricted space of mirrors can’t
—still she closes--
help you. Gaze about. Know that the wolves are
—hemmed in by years--
in the house. Smoke helped hide the truth that you
—still closed in yes--
can’t see perfumes, baubles, manicures, or
—the odor rose--
implications. All left reminders. John says
—by the hedges--
Margot is a wolf that raves, a cup that
—still she closes--
offers a flower to a standing cast,
—a mind sickness--
a golden woman holding a mirror.
—far from this place--
You are thick, Margot, much too large and hemmed
—it’s not his--
in. You are loathsome through and through, who was
—hers not his--
one night awakened, made desperate, cornered,
doomed, sublime animal against a hedge.
after Sarah Boyle
Margot, you're like the rest of them, the snatcher
—a mirror is--
perplexed at welded seams and hemmed in air.
—separates us--
A sometimes mad woman in the attic
—mourning edges--
reflect light, incident light, concentrate
—exactly as--
light, momentum-enhance light, mirror light.
—leaving his--
You are a menace, Margot, you are a
—it’s always his--
small handed box in the attic. Posed. Stumped.
—you finish us--
John says, it wasn’t coming from the loft,
—still in layers--
and the constricted space of mirrors can’t
—still she closes--
help you. Gaze about. Know that the wolves are
—hemmed in by years--
in the house. Smoke helped hide the truth that you
—still closed in yes--
can’t see perfumes, baubles, manicures, or
—the odor rose--
implications. All left reminders. John says
—by the hedges--
Margot is a wolf that raves, a cup that
—still she closes--
offers a flower to a standing cast,
—a mind sickness--
a golden woman holding a mirror.
—far from this place--
You are thick, Margot, much too large and hemmed
—it’s not his--
in. You are loathsome through and through, who was
—hers not his--
one night awakened, made desperate, cornered,
doomed, sublime animal against a hedge.