Ducks XXI

All drawings untitled 2004


With thee, in the Desert-
With thee in the thirst-
With thee in the Tamarind wood-
Leopard breathes- at last!
Emily Dickinson

Ducks XX

All drawings untitled 2004


My friend must be a Bird-
Because it flies!
Mortal, my friend must be,
Because it dies!
Barbs has it, like a Bee!
Ah, curious friend!
Thou puzzlest me!
Emily Dickinson

Ducks XIX

All drawings untitled 2004


No Prisoner be-
Where Liberty-
Himself- abide with Thee-
Emily Dickinson

Ducks XVIII

All drawings untitled 2004


What mystery pervades a well!
That water lives so far-
A neighbor from another world
Residing in a jar


Whose limit none have ever seen,
But just his lid of glass-
Like looking every time you please
In an abyss's face!


The grass does not appear afraid,
I often wonder he
Can stand so close and look so bold
At what is awe to me.


Related somehow they may be,
The sedge stands next the sea-
Where he is floorless
And does no timidity betray


But nature is a stranger yet;
The ones that cite her most
Have never passed her haunted house,
Nor simplified her ghost.


To pity those that know her not
Is helped by the regret
That those who know her, know her less
The nearer her they get.
Emily Dickinson

Ducks XVII

All drawings untitled 2004


He fumbles at your Soul
As Players at the Keys
Before they drop full Music on-
He stuns you by degrees-
Prepares your brittle Nature
For the Ethereal Blow
By fainter Hammers- further heard-
Then nearer- Then so slow
Your Breath has time to straighten-
Your Brain- to bubble Cool-
Deals- One- imperial- Thunderbolt-
That scalps your naked Soul-


When Winds take Forests in their Paws-
The Universe- is still-
Emily Dickinson

Ducks XVI

All drawings untitled 2004


When Bells stop ringing- Church- begins-
The Positive- of Bells-
When Cogs- stop - that's Circumference-
The Ultimate- of Wheels.
Emily Dickinson

Ducks XV

All drawings untitled 2004


The Test of Love- is Death-
Our Lord- "so loved"- it saith-
What Largest Lover- hath-
Another- doth-


If smaller Patience- be-
Through less Infinity-
If Bravo, sometimes swerve-
Through fainter Nerve-


Accept its Most-
And overlook- the Dust-
Last- Least-
The Cross'- Request-
Emily Dickinson