1. Consider moving through

the beveled preface to home:

 

the crowns

& field stones

 

littered.

 

2. Consider the nature

of departure:

 

the immigrant will be

the dried leaves

 

amongst owl eggs

& cradles of lacquered oak.

 

3. Consider the white

body as passport.

 

4. Recall you are homeland

& formal choice

 

coiled in accent around

 

baskets of soft

oranges.

 

***

 

–J. Michael Martinez received the Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of

American Poets and he is a Ph.D. Candidate in Literature at the University of

Colorado at Boulder. His latest book, from the University of Arizona Press, is “In

the Garden of the Bridehouse.” He is the Poetry Editor of NOEMI Press and his

poetry has been anthologized in Ahsahta Press’ “The Arcadia Project: North

American Postmodern Pastoral,” Rescue Press’s “The New Census: 40

American Poets,” and Counterpath Press’ “Angels of the Americlypse: New

Latin@ Writing.”