note on Jonah

the word that does not come to pass –
      and yet, we do not go into the immanence
of a big-bellied, dark, barely
discernible life, self within self
in the whale's wide ocean –
      it streams, flows
      over the eyes

always you waited for a sign
      – undying stubbornness
and the whole sky was hung with
luminous creatures, thus did we trickle
the lie into Jonah's ear
      go forth into the world
      into the windswept void

Hendrik Jackson * audio

Get the Flash Player to see this player.