I chalked the bounds of the old dominion,
I used white chalk and marked the floor.
First, I moved the stools to a corner,
cut them and stored them according to organ,
here stowed the seats, and by here
the legs. Long holders I scattered and
passed out for tapers, for tapers
with very long flames, tapers that cast
a round hatchwork of swaggering light.
From that fire, which marched on the
black of the loft, the tentative tracings
were done. First tracings, discovered
again by daylight, in spotless sobriety—
tracings of capes and angular coves,
whole polygon counties, with hand-
holding by the handless, accord
of horizonless hosts of brothers.
-2004