*

All day and your arms
need the smock loose
and white gloves

—this barnacle is the kind
that spirals toward the light
already nurses

on a rock half at anchor
half this kitchen table
—a small loaf and already

ravenous though once it’s cut
it begins to circle closer
and what your arms free

is no longer joined at the heart
born over and over
as twins facing each other

lets you see your own lips
and in the darkness
that belongs to you both.

Simon Perchik

Simon Perchik’s recently published books of poetry include The Autochthon Poems (2001, Split/Shift) and Touching the Headstone (2000, Stride Publications). His poems have appeared in numerous journals, including Partisan Review, Poetry, The Nation, and Colorado Review.