Tuesday, June 16, 2009: On the Street…Floral Beauty, Governor’s Island

Evolution

We walked through the woods, me thinking about the difference
Between the words forest and woods, you talking about the emu
Feather you found on that farm in college.

At first, I thought it was a trampled fern, and when I picked it up
And shook off the dust, I saw it was a dark feather. Tan and
Brown, like a reed. The sun made leopard print of our arms,

And I said If we lived in the forest, we’d have to evolve, our skin
Might grow spots. We were quiet for a while after that, not in
Any meaningful way, just a space

That sprung up in our talking like the thick beams of light that
Sometimes pierce the dense woods, like someone used a
Hole-puncher on the tangled foliage overhead.