Voice Breaks to Fingers
for Matt Gillis, a young and ancient poet
Another chiseled boy
this one with harder angles
and softer spitting image
his language not all smoke and glass
but syllabic whistling wind through the
streaming seatsThis boy flashes green
or a blue he doesn't yet know the slice of
the negative space of the corner chair and
black board cannot absorb him
as he leans back
in eagle-hooded nonchalance
catching his mouth in a locked line
all vaulting planes pulled flat
he waits to be passed over
But this boy is fresh corn
his paper-silent air builds rings
From his determined circle
wide-stringed heart arcs all over the wild plains page
springing way beyond what's there and yearsby Donna Decker
Copyright 1994, The Women in Literature and Life Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English (ISSN #1065-9080). Permission is given to copy any article provided credit is given and the copies are not intended for resale.
Reference Citation: Decker, Donna. (1994). "Voice Breaks to Fingers." WILLA, Volume III, 11.
