dances of zola

...one of the sailors had a broken fingernail which made a white line on her hand when he helped her...
...one of the sailors had a broken fingernail which made a white line on her hand when he helped her...

ricardo ricardo lay down your broom
the yard is clean
every hen is asleep among the geraniums

marianne is nearly here
she’s stepping from a boat onto stone
her bag darkens the cobbles
an insect falls from its embroidery

she adjusts her hair remembers songs
sees faces hears conversations
recognises the blue spire
sees prayers fill spaces between branches

ricardo ricardo pull on your new shoes
marianne is half running up the sloping road
her bracelets cool beneath calico
soon she’ll reach the field
where all those goats resent a red gate

she has chinese gifts for you
she’ll explain their history

you’ll notice licorice on her breath
when she’s dead you’ll think of that
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