As Corpse Loosened, bare, profusely female,
_ _the pulse in my thigh
_ _unthreaded—
As Hair Clear of furies, of flowers,
_ _the shade of dry paste
As Skull Fissured:
_ _an unlit chandelier
As Dirt The ants sift through
_ _and soften
_ _And with no fingertips, imagine
As Dust You can hang the air on me
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Mary Szybist received her BA and MT from the University of Virginia and later attended the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was a Teaching-Writing Fellow. Her first book, Granted, was published by Alice James Books in 2003 and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. She teaches at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. (updated 1/2007)