Valerie Witte

HYMN 2

within two days a quake to strike New Madrid  •  what                
tidal peaks could trigger in high tectonic stress, the curious

appeal of tension between two opposing
forces what bands of earth subject to possibility

of a measured 7.0 or higher  • a relatively short
memory, 12/3, 4:56, only worry missouri,

neighboring states, schools closed, we in tandem
hiding under support objects such as arms, desks, door 

frames to protect our heads from falling 
walls, ceiling splinter, books stray, prepare to carom

wait for warping, ejection, fissure, caving the same
river only differ in name here or there a dark

ribbon reverse the current flow backwards like 1811,
like 1811 parishes switch allegiance, church bells  •  listen

from the other side (1812, like 1812)

HYMN 2

a road and railway the longest ever ribbed
the deepest steel ever sunk to cross but for this

passage worship a radical metallic sound • brass for
vehicular for varied, confusing elements and pressure clever

positioning of support objects such as arms, two shore
abutments and piers  •  adjustment of pairs  •  seeming

to give way precludes vulnerability suspension or draw
bridges, miles and miles water wants lock constraint

of dams, rocks contain tenderness within willing
and unknown amounts of wrought  •  iron, a curious

chance, necessity to touch insufficient strength of alternative
material  •  rigging particular that face square with points

pose difficulties for travelers unable to construct false 
works  •  or expressions devised invitations to close arches one

year of opening

HYMN 2

if
uttered things like rivers babble insufficient i

cannot cross a face stretched with points raised
brow suggests a story told over and waiting, how delivery

shapes reception, a relatively short memory, messipi
summer is a free flowing downstream conversation

a dark ribbon dividing what little follows we call rolling
eyes hide a self to question sincerity rivers, a series

of locks and dams artificial embankment
to prevent flooding or an arm to protect secret

borders of states defined a side which lie  •  constraint
welcomed wit rhythm a river landing confinement preferred

applause, laughter levied at misi-ziibi travelers unable
to construct false words or expressions  •  shallow stretches

of stone  •  gichi-ziibi rendered the name of the river

HYMN 2

receive a steeper answer  •  to sea whether disappearing
bodies is safe? a navigable face with points channel

smoke, dust heavy  •  metal greened by mixing
compounds, salt the colors  •  fallout

biodegradable as well as plastic items  •  under arching
steel the sulfur and orange drop curious necessity to drift

continental worry, divide missouri  •  in leaning, learn
to rely upon support objects such as arms, a relatively short

memory, summer is a stream to those nearest the mouth
a cataract, a meeting of two  •  a confluence shallow, broken 

small a bed of stones flanked waters blue the same river only
differ in name here or here  •  earth splitting reverses

direction: aswan, khartoum a dark ribbon abandoned
distributary to a brief gulf pour  •  never but scuttle idle

kneed a kind of grief stored patience as modest joints allow

HYMN 2

the magnitude of crests fallen big river severity this
flood event  •  evacuate some never to return home

towns buried 11 inches, bridges support objects such
as arms inaccessible highways and other roads

closed  •  15 inches, rail traffic in air planes the midwest
halted  •  beginning of a rain we worship the gray the output

of clouds (of cold) • the basin shapes storm patterns
assume nothing touching nothing attaching

a relatively short memory, summer, whether waves routed
downriver or predicted 24 inches to 38.4 inches as if one

could foresee such a downpour  •  approaching 48 inches
surpassing measurable • the channels spirit anxiety

north  •  farmlands pushed in directions unknown desire
muddle nine states, levees topped  •  400,000 square miles

never disappoint, water