SOPHIE CABOT BLACK

Accident


Up on the mountain as she rose above
Treeline came the unexpected bodies:
The woman slightly burned, the man curled

Against her in one last concern             
Of knowing. What to do with this sight
Said she to the no one there, 

How you must not go too far up into
Good weather. Perhaps they had no idea
How to pay attention. How much did they want;

At what point were they going to turn back
Down. To be close enough to see beyond
Her own desire is how she must now live.



91     The Paris-American

Sophie Cabot Black  has three poetry collections from Graywolf Press, The Misunderstanding of Nature,  (Norma Farber First Book Award) and The Descent, (2005 Connecticut Book Award) and The Exchange (2013).  Most recently, she taught at Columbia University.

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   Next week's poet:

 Amaris Diaz