Turn inward when the world begins to speak.

 

Listen to the body twitch, quick sparks on a hydrostatic plane.

 

Ignore the hexagenia sequined into stone.

 

Send the dogs before you into dusk.

 

Maybe this time they won’t slip off the skunked-out edge

 

of the field, maws full of musk and quills.

 

Maybe this time they’ll retrieve what they have seen.

 

***

Cal Freeman was born and raised in Detroit, MI. He is the author of the books Brother Of Leaving and Fight Songs. His writing has appeared in many journals including Southword, Passages North, The Journal, Commonweal, Drunken Boat, and The Poetry Review. He is a recipient of The Devine Poetry Fellowship (judged by Terrance Hayes) and winner of Passages North’s Neutrino Prize; he has also been nominated for multiple Pushcart Prizes in both poetry and creative nonfiction. He teaches at Oakland University and regularly reviews collections of poetry for the radio program Stateside on Michigan Public Radio.