untitled (after Don McKay)

Sometimes a voice – have you heard this? –

wants not to be a voice any longer, wants something

whispering between the words, some

rumour of its former life.  Sometimes, even

in the midst of making sense or conversation, it will

hearken back to breath, or even farther,

to the wind, and recognise itself as troubled air, a flight path still

looking for its bird. -   Don McKay, from “Sometimes a voice (1)”

Today i broke a word.  Snapped it.

pestled it to powder.

Made a paper funnel then

poured it into my ear

and after that heard nothing

but

the slurring tinnitus

of radio silence.

.