A million years ago, I found a poem called Love, a Dark, Untitled Comedy in, I think? Hayden's Ferry Review? No matter, the point is, I memorized it within a couple of days and accosted the author when she visited the BWR booth at AWP.
Today, as I am ready to donate old mags somewhere (the apartment brimmeth) I reach for Southern Poetry Review, open to a random page and stop:
Half-light
after Andre Breton
the twilight is a red snapper
& in the tangerine grove
suns hang burning from the trees
because I am waiting for you
& if you come walk with me
no matter where
miracles will hurry to meet us
A chameleon will press his cool belly to my heart
turn first a sad tan
then a jade jealous green---
because he loves you too
I don't know why
but the earth is deeper than water
is a turtle finally shaking off its shell
I saw you evolve
from the salt sludge of the ocean
I was there
Wait, no, I wasn't
I was waiting here even then
& I was sad
the sky between leaves hard as a horseshoe crab
I shut my eyes--
I was where you see me
Where are you?
Jesse Lee Kercheval
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