"As One Putting the Phonograph Needle Back One Song After Finding a Coveted Recording" by David Blair

Most of the country is not hung upon Rome as we are, a couple of yard pagans—that was a wonderful smileunder that big Blonde Venus afro wigthat you stole from Marlene Dietrichto shine at me in a dreamas reassuring as a rainbowup near the lip of the Maelstrom.There's gladness at the heart of being a personmost of the time imperviousyet visible to our speculation,as sorrow eats cake at happy weddings.In the universal masqueradesmostly we are barely initiatesinto these or any other mysteries—even the most blissful and fortunatebodies good as short term rentalsand so there are these gas stations ablazeat night where the longer you drive,the more you have to get back home.