In an Atavistic Country
By Rebecca Seiferle
the earth is full of a thousand faces
a cliff resembles crocodile skin a tree opens the eyes
of a leopard's skin two shells lie side-by-side in the surge
of whatever washed them together it is the land of yes
another country where the dragons are small
and bask in any shining their toes splayed out in ecstasy
as the warm air makes their own blood flow faster
slipping in and out of torpid shadows quick tongues
speaking of dust and silence so the imagination
has such delicacy hovers at the edge of the grass
and waits for the arrival o breath held back
of the tiny emperors full of spikes and crowns
Copyright © 2007 by Rebecca Seiferle.