shoals in sparked night
real creatures crushed by
heated hunter
gathers me, in long stocking
pearlescent, feasting
salty heat of
abalone
stewed in derelict measure
climbed, naked, on board
each body, a mosaic in sand
drift, sea rind, carapace in hand
to which we, a fire
red carved, each tissue ripped from small purse
tessellated surface
talus shade
in tears
From Western Practice by Stephen Motika. Copyright © 2012 by Stephen Motika. Reprinted with permission of Alice James Books. All rights reserved.