The Matter
By Norma Cole
The chatter of the world is just a breath
Dante, Purgatorio
Conditions in the moment
conditions in the present moment
conditions are melting in the present moment
loss in different tempi, a striking
concentration of them, in it and
of it, but when the state withdraws
from the social contract, a walking dream
the armature a striking concentration
removes system from sound
some day will mean these large scale
stained glass windows seem essential
to private time: moon in Scorpio
fallen asleep but not where you
wake up: can you place this photo
from the broken old bible? Tell us
the end and ruin everything, the pink
cloud, the ridgeline and everything
grassland, aspen groves, stand of
redwoods, trees make the light
sense of distance, prospect
everchanging feverish refraction
mind not inclined for the story’s
not found here
Copyright Credit: Norma Cole, "The Matter" from Alibi Lullaby. Copyright © 2025 by Norma Cole. Reprinted by permission of Omnidawn Publishing.
Source: Alibi Lullaby. (Omnidawn Publishing, 2025)