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Elijah Fed by Ravens

ii
Listen, you caught the
raven’s beak, couldn’t
stand the wait. You took
the meat before you
were ready. Brook dried,
& the dried-up brook
had rocks, the bottom
unfit for baking
bread. A story comes
later. You couldn’t
wait & meat was there.
But you still didn’t
believe, you saw the
sun-through-leaves, the air
was dry, & a sun
shone. You cannot be
happy. You ask your
self why at least once
a day. At least you
are outside, at least
you have someone who
rubs oil on your neck.
The dried-up brook is
a word saying go,
go, you can’t stay here.
Listen, you catch the
raven by the stem
& force him to tell
you the truth; his laugh
sounds like dried leaves or
what we call the fall,
pack under piles the
names of trees escape
you. You call yourself
ungrateful as you
swallow down the bread
before you get up,
before you can leave.