finally leaving the hospital
what details tired eyes
will settle upon—

the cloud deck
voluminous, sterile
the textures of gauze
of cotton packing

this maple has green leaves
but the stems—
the very hue
and diameter of an artery

bad news over dinner
drinking wine in evening shade
a wasp climbs down
into the bowl of sweet cherries

knowing from the opening lines
the rest of the story
before it can be said—

a body fails in predictable ways

the wasp is vexed
by its futile endeavor
hovering above the table
wings beating, beating out
an apian rebuke—

the unanswerable question
goes unanswered

the clouds go on forever
a patterned print—
cirrus, cumulus
unthreatening and benign