[In the Empire of Light]
In the Empire of Light
the water’s completely dry
floating on a surface of itself
around islands pointed south-southwest
The wind fills it then
with more of itself
according to the rules
which cause parallel lines
to vibrate and cross
less and less
among the hanging baskets from a rain forest
among the visiting statesmen
from a rain forest
Here the dancer stops
to regain her balance
and reelaborate the distance
from the feet to the head
The risk is a part of the rhythm
She steps out of
and into balance
with those who are left
Chalk-marks show them where to stand
Copyright Credit: Michael Palmer, "[In the Empire of Light]" a part from The Book Against Understanding from The Lion Bridge: Selected Poems 1972-1995. Copyright © 1998 by Michael Palmer. Used by permission of New Directions Publishing Corporation.
Source: The Lion Bridge (New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1998)