[Bill Dyes]

Question and Answer (revision)

It was that more than selfish composite
of being young and absurdly alone
the day my class filed to the library.
I asked, and quiet and momentary
herself, the librarian reached down and
with a smile, brief, as if only for me,
offered time to spend with a ponderous
copy of the “The Birds of America”.
That’s when the old disturbance began, that
unsorted impossible trinity:
the beautiful became alive and dead.




Q & A

Of course. It was that shameful composite
of being young and absurdly sad on
a day my class filed to the library.
I asked, and reaching to a place saved just
for me, the pretty librarian gave
me hours to spend with a ponderous
copy of the “The Birds of America”.
That's when the old disturbance began, that
unsorted impossible trinity:
the beautiful became alive and dead.