MARCH/APRIL 2008
down salute
Ownerless—without flag. We rest
pregnant, hold full of fish, their eyes
still focused. Mere fog—man in a cap,
man in fingerless gloves—
why do I accrete more than spice
as I sit, bundled in winter wool.
Mist and motion telegraph the scent—
why do I continue to shave in the convex
bowl of a copper pot or slip on a deck
slick with blood and scales—to write
‘today he masters a pistol
About the Author
Raymond McDaniel is the author of Murder and Saltwater Empire, both published by Coffee House Press. He writes for the Constant Critic at www.constantcritic.com.
