November 3 Reading: Jennifer's Pick

Although my favorite poem in Hadara Bar-Nadav's A Glass of Milk to Kiss Goodnight is "Companion Piece," it's a longish poem--too long for a blog, perhaps--so I've picked a second favorite to include here. Hopefully Hadara will read "Companion Piece" when she's in town for the next YAPRS reading, November 3rd, 7pm, at Beaverdale Books.

GOD OF STARVATION

The iron and rolling pin
           press me paper-thin.


I'm almost a millimeter
           of cotton string.


Almost liquid,
           almost a leak.


Permission to worship
           glorious transparencies.


I'm in love with the ant and skink,
           animals that hunt the ground.


The shrimp and oyster call my name,
           mud and oil in their mouths.


           I'm forbidden to writhe or crawl.
           Forbidden to put pig flesh in my mouth.
           Must throw lobsters back.


When I'm thin, thinner than water,
           not even God recognizes me.


But oh, the page,
           the string, the sea.