Catherine Wing, born 1972, is the author of two collections of poetry, most recently Gin & Bleach, which won the Linda Bruckheimer Series in Kentucky Literature and was published by Sarabande Books in 2012. Her first book of poems, Enter Invisible (Sarabande), was nominated for a 2005 Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
THE DARKER SOONER
Catherine Wing
Then came the darker sooner,
came the later lower.
We were no longer a sweeter-here
happily-ever-after. We were after ever.
We were farther and further.
More was the word we used for harder.
Lost was our standard-bearer.
Our gods were fallen faster,
and fallen larger.
The day was duller, duller
was disaster. Our charge was error.
Instead of leader we had louder,
instead of lover, never. And over this river
broke the winter’s black weather.
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EVOLUTION SONG
Catherine Wing
The poison frog becomes the poison arrow
From a tadpole comes a toad
To the lungfish comes the land we’re on
From the city comes the road
A milk thief once made butterfly
A moth once lived in silk
The mayfly lives and dies in May
A bird was once an alligator’s ilk
Those with spines will lose them
And those without will gain
A shell becomes your cover
From the water comes the rain
A hornworm ends as hawkmoth
In the muscle is a mouse
The egg tooth cuts the egg you’re in
Your temple turns to house