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   f a t h e r    i n    a    t r a n s l u c e n t    c l o s e t

--- R O N A L D   P A L M E R


for Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889)

Call: I'll call: a caustic secret a crime-- then watch it stall: a deflated lung germinates black nests of ice: infests

a glacial desire's pose like dry-heaves of dread. Now your mind's a divided island: like mischievous Michelangelo's horned Moses:

marbleized mirrored-stare finds a heavy head reflects: both Lucifer and sufferer. I too am infinitely oxymoronic-- dutiful son: agreeably disowned planet--

O father: together: our ballad's bass line's in a chronic panic.

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