appealing

The Maynard
Spring 2018

Dawn Macdonald
0:00
 
 

Pit

How is a pit both a hole and a stone.
A hard fall.
Under the earth is rock, after all,
and some rocks are bones.
Some rocks make good on the impress of flesh.

I skipped a stone across the pond;
it went six and sank.
Underwater is where lies lie. Full
fathom five and pearl-eyed.

The size
of the stone matters—
best to fit
the hand—Johannes thought
the hand transmits continuous force
to the flung thing, as by magnetism.
(I’m not sure if he knew about magnetism.)

A hand gone back to pocket makes
these bones fly.

A pit is both a hollow and a lump.
It stops worms. There’s one
in your stomach.
It ends in why.