SOME ODES

COPPER ODE
 
O broken robber                                                                  O polar sloth
        
                          come outbound          & wicked
 
                                    in engines                              in cloth
 
                                                                           perspiring
 
 
                          come withered & tossed
 
                                    without murder
 
                                                 or midriff
 
                                    without anger
 
                                                 or gloss
 
                        
                          come toothless & bare
 
                                    as putty
 
                                                 as torture
 
                                    as dross
 
 
 
 
 
 
                      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ODE TO VARNISH
 
cap of ivory                                                         city of eminent        pop
 
                   turquoise whip                           steadily unplugs
 
continuous sop                        streaks of viburnum
 
                          of the vicarage lost       
 
                   & those folds gathered silent
 
                                       found octaves   rung               above sandbags
               
                                                                                 over april
                   
                                                                                             were tossed
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ODE TO VENISON
 
orisons delight in the waltz                    delight in the plantain scratched
 
                                  & pasted           in the venue &
 
                      catch
 
      if the numbers rub it                rub it out
 
      if the lion recovers                                                if the others mouth
 
                      cold partings                              sing a few shoots
 
                                                      in despair
 
      clutch to a tangle of matins
 
                      hold to an antlered dare