Caro cardo: Jolene

(Jolene)

There's a moose sprawled on the highway as some spiritual food
  (pierced to its poor minnow heart)

saying no to decay, exemplarily and ordinarily, in its shy way--
  a knee bowed in asphalt, poor heart!--

with a fresh open cut in its side and looking about ready to die,
  looking skyward, 'bout ready to die

   in that white no-good body of hers

Chat vivant



is pure contrarian and whatnot: reared on waters
  & cannot be one among many

The location's between cave and a glossy coverlet
  that takes its moving shape--

sleepy and evocative master of reason and forepaw
  The chat vivant can for all that

who made, but will never go farther than, that
  yes, with sharp dark-eyed energy

and also bread and love of the encircling hand--
  can, for all that, still be one