Across the sea at Alexandria,
Shallow and glittering, a single shroud-
Shaped cloud had stolen, leaving as it paused

The light sifts down from the naked bulb
he’s quickened with a string. He speaks
to no one out of the well of his anger.

            A               a
                mammo           pappo
                   gram          gram

My beloved Helios is leaving, see
how the hem of his robe slips from the tent
as Chaos’ daughter approaches, such

Gunnery practise dubs the Judean hills.
Anna Ticho stopped painting for many years.
Her eyes a still small voice, eroded

Syllables shaped around the darkening day’s
contours. Next to armchairs, on desks, lamps
were switched on. Tires hissed softly on the damp

As my wife buys our daughter her first bra
I wait beside the escalator
with our packages from Sears and J.C. Penney’s,

Pewter, then silver, the palest gold, an almost
silence we almost could hear, dawn led us out.
So light a sound had lifted us from our pillows.

I AM MY FATHER’S ONLY UNBORN DAUGHTER.
I gave birth to my mother and am responsible for her death.

Someone who believes that at least one part of her 

Hudsons and Studebakers ruled the streets, 
a crossing guard and teenagers the pavement 
when I was eight. But that was an improvement