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Wayne Moore

Acclimation



             for Ed Dorn



After the credits

and the diminishing

        wavelets

                    of applause

 

silence remains The Only

honest tribute but

 

it is still

                    silence.

 

 

 

 

At the lookout’s edge

where breathing

is clenched, as much

by The View

as The Need

to rest

 

Never get

use to breathing.

Can’t forget.

 

 

 

 

Listen

you’ve gotta

        live  at altitude

if you’re gonna

        fuck with mountains

 

 

And mountains,

They’re not the half of it.

 

 

 

Extreme

in every direction

Just

        say no to vertigo

        No way

 

to go but West

 

        word back

        from the front-

 

tier

Shed none!

 

await

The Watershed

 

The Stranger

resting

at the well

will be welcomed

                    even revered.

 

 

 

 

Irreverance!

Elevated

beyond the pull

of gravity

 

we’re talking

High Art

 

not native

in these parts

 

though ancient

Trojan even, in stealth

        evangelic

unsheathed

 

        (even angelic?)

 

 

        possessed 

        of the word       (lowercase)

 

and true to

the utter

Ring of it.

 

 

 

 

Inhale

the red clay

        sunset

 

with moonrise

at the same time

       

hanging

        plump

 

over Rough Rock

Round Rock

 

 

Taste silica

Mount Saint Helens’ trace

dusting

The Trail.

 

 

 

 

Move and rest.

 

catch breath

as I can

 

The world

 

left

in your wake

 

 

 

is vast

and silent

 

 

awaiting word.

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