Occurrences across the Chromatic Scale
The way air is at the same time
intimate and out of reach
(a void with light inside it
turned on a wheel of wheres) 
Stars' lease on sky expires, breathes 
in leisures of sparrows, wrens
and casual trees, wet sidewalks
twittering with tattered news, old
leaves (hollow bones and branches)
wind of wish and which and boys
waiting for white kisses, rain 
of feathers, clouds saving their later 
Suppose this sunlight, day split open 
suppose these senses and the information
carried, thing and news of the thing
repeating place, location of position
Birds, for example, remembered
fluttering torn terms, congregations 
shimmer of hummingbirds 
but when does one see more than one
tumbling bright flesh (sky 
at hand) pleating afternoon, banking 
on mere atmosphere, primary
colors dividing white into 
three clean halves (red, green, 
blue-bitter berries rasp, crabapples
crush underfoot), the spectrum
says don't stop there
(smudged light a lapse of attention)
there's never enough world for you
"Occurrences across the Chromatic Scale" from Otherhood: Poems, by Reginald Shepherd. Copyright © 2003. Reprinted by permission of University of Pittsburgh Press.
 
      