this is the first
            of many questions

‘the narrow frightening light,
before a sunrise’

that moving across
  California
            New York,
            Mexico,
we can trace a
politic of revision

choices made while young
– the directions –
            given or sought out
in distress, as a
condition
            remain
words in a series,
            a method
responding to memory

            momentary
simple as a struck
            cheek, reflexive – the
break’s sharpness
& yet a
steadied hand for
            what remained
     a decision,         for lack of —

the result of silence: a posing
of the second question

            “What has been done?”