Twelve Ways of Listening to Maria
RAY LC

for Maria Me Iu
after Wallace Stevens

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I
One hand after the other,
One step over the next along these walls.
A light irradiating from some chamber
Of the mind, a heart pumping from Maria.

II
I hear in blue,
I hear in gold,
I see in green Maria's glow.

III
While all dream of one-sided fractals not one itself
Maria sits and nods.

IV
Print and illustration
Subsume the world.
Print and illustration and identity
Subsume Maria.

V
I do not know whether
I should look inside
The album to read its mind,
Or judge the cover
To feel its heart;
Whether Maria is outside,
Or inside.

VI
A radio blasting against
Trumpets from a statue,
"Long live my ideas!"
Written down and
Deciphered
By Maria,
Silent as a sculpture.

VII
The walls push us in
To look at one side of the mirror,
Each angle a patch of Maria's color.
Do you not see the refraction
Of Sorrento, Amsterdam, Dusseldorf
Of the Milky Way?

VIII
I can write greetings
In Hallmark style,
And draw pithy figurines.
I know also Maria is part of
More than I know.

IX
Paint easels, PF Flyers, pillows,
We think we know Maria.
Not Oreos, Ipods, or watches.
They come out of the reflection of
Shards of glass on the wall.

X
As Maria moves from my mind
To yours,
Please listen to the whisper
Without looking.

XI
One after another along those walls.
Where is the issue?
The side-long glances off the prism,
Are light split between you and I and Maria.
What then is heard?

XII
One pillow after another,
The watch stopped ticking.
Infinite time,
Infinite turns,
Infinite shards.
There Maria stands, listening.