WILLA v3 - Voice Breaks to Fingers

Volume 3

Fall 1994

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 seats

This 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 years

by 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.