Quiet Calf
By Paul Casey
Wring us out, stretch us taut upon the gray bone frame
Scrape us down lunellum-thin as the wide moon blade
For we are codex and caesar, the offspring of mechanical gods
Inflections pressed in virtual folios we are to each cow its calf
Carry the jasmines; the saffrons of our time, calcite prophecies
emblazoned in the cockled ranges, gilded in continental divides
Under a fallen pejeng moon white buffalo spirits pound to crush
the hard harmonics of history in us, down to a form of raw time
They amplify the faded velleities that cling to its valley walls
as calligraphy the word (and true consort of vellum) - elegant
to pen as alfalfa - is all flair and flourish in the nourished nib's
unending congress. In streams of ink-song, tear-strewn tendrils
fall from the gyre-eye drumhead skies, the bodhrans and banjos,
timpanis weave, interleave our celebrations, the flint of our lives
Bear too the wildfire children tapping céilís on the counterhoop
absorbed in the patience of elm, loose-bound for gatherings yet
to come. Flexed, each breath is an age of song deep-stitched
into wrinkled silence, where cockleshells pucker from under
ancient sand. Outroam the Runicus quiet one, deliver whole
these few sweet heartbeats, these glimpses of humanity
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Tuesday, like Monday, was hot and uneventful, apart from a couple of Pokemon raids, some neighborhood bunnies and woodpeckers, and my Tuesday night Voyager group, which was missing two people but had a very good friend join us this week, so that was lovely. Plus we watched "Flashback" -- the episode with Sulu and Rand set during the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country -- and that was quite fun too.
We also watched the return of Supergirl, which was not enthralling, but knowing that this is the end of the final season makes me want to see it through, at least until Katie McGrath and Julie Gonzalo are on other shows. And that was about all the excitement. Here are some photos of the calves born at the county fair this year; the little brown one, Mr. Liberty, was born to Independence, who was also born at the county fair, in 2017!
