A New Ring

last night the phone company came to the door
they were twelve hours late and at least a century behind

dry hay     opaque
grew out from under their sleeves

they lined up along the walkway     down the street
rings came out of their ears     tears out of their mouths

down the street     under a car     church bells rang
lost pinecones fell asleep
the doors in my head opened and shut
all the voices i'd ever heard in my life
rang in the new year






from Purgatorial (2004)