Advice From a Dead Poet

by Gerald Wagoner

Be precise, elegant, describe forces and vectors.
Learn the arcane alchemy of memory as catalyst
to imagination. The physics of the kinetic require
you announce that windows are ablaze at sunset.

Learn the arcane alchemy of memory as catalyst
to mountain vistas. The sky teaches the listener
to proclaim the windows at sunset ablaze, molten.
The brazen glass of Manhattan’s expansive view

is a mountable vista where sky touches listener
on the shoulder like a beloved brother or sister.
The brazen glass of Manhattan reforms into ten
thousand mirrored skies plainly broken in panes.

On the shoulder like a beloved sister or brother
the gloaming lays chrome on navy harbor water.
A thousand mirrored skies, plainly broken panes,
refract waves of ripe white peaches into clouds.

The gloaming lays chrome on dark harbor water.
Imagination is required for refraction physics to
project crates of ripe white peaches into clouds.
Be precise, elegant, describe forces and vectors.