I could be Catherine of silver
and i eat leaves i wear overalls
most of all i sing even when i am
not asked, i collar the dead at
their funerals, i sing scattering
the notes like seeds of rye,
come dance me out of the sea.

I could be John of the river
i eat marble, i wear overalls
most of all, i watch the cities
crumble, collar the leaders
as they move to escape the fire
moving to the sea.     meet
me in new orleans.

This piece first appeared in TCR 1.8/1.9 (Fall 1975).