THE MUSE
You owe me. Pay up. According to my accounts, you have...

CASUAL FRIEND
Send lies to the people listed below....

THE AWARDS COMMITTEE
This is to notify you that--but what's the use?...

THE WISE
The world could fall to pieces with no notice....

UNCLE AL
A chicken is a touchy creature....

THE OTHERS
Here where we live the lines are down and the surprises build into snowbanks...

DANNY
Dusty Clinton Township kids making paper roosters and snowball...

SAMUEL RENSBERGER
I am your grandfather's grandfather and through my wakeless sleep I dream...

OLD NEIGHBOR
East across low muddy fields and behind the screening trees you can see...

THE WORM COUNCIL
We call your attention to worms. Though sweeping ice age disaster...

THE HERON
I flew in down by the round deep pond behind your house...

WITNESS
I saw the largest moon ever rise huge bright yellow, sailing where it cared to...

Dear Eric,

I am your grandfather's grandfather and through my wakeless 
sleep I dream of you. I want to meet you somewhere soon.

I still have the same black suit and halfwild white beard 
you've seen in that brown old photograph on the guest room dresser. 
I was buried in that stiff suit. What clothes do you wear? 
Are they thick and plain? Walking behind my plow, I keep my eye 
on my neighbor's land. Where do you plow?

I have one fear: that we will meet and fall into enmity. 
But I have this fever to speak with you, and so I ask you: 
where can we meet? 

Samuel Rensberger


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