Tell me about the highest
road in those mountains
across the river and I will
and I will tell you about
a snail shell I found once
on a plate in Chinatown,
no, that was a cockleshell
the snail was in the yard
before that, remember
the sky above the steeple,
the small tree I didn’t know
you said it was a hawthorn
and now is now? Snail trail
leads here, always. Drive
up Overlook, Round Top?
Be a car with me, a warm
more vehicle than utility,
more utility than sport but
still, wheels work, growl
up the ross, all I want to do
is breathe the sky, suddenly
that sounds scary, angels?
what price that breath?
bark of the locust tree too,
rivers flowing straight up,
in France this is the day of Mars
here it’s Two’s day, old you’n me,
ride me up there, my shell
spun around a mere identity
you can change any time you like
just by saying so, here we go
tell what used to live inside me
before it talked itself out away,
please help me to find the tree.

11 October 2022