by Jessica de Koninck
“To forget would be best, but I have
never forgotten anything yet.
–Miklos Radnoti
In the song about sheep
the lake serves as mirror
In the song about death
the mirror shifts to platter
piled high with slabs of meat
served with pitchers of water
by the girl who can’t come back
When sheep drink water
water makes them well
Water a potion
Water a spell
Go to sleep
Go to sleep
Recite the alphabet
Number every sheep
Don’t think about the butcher
Don’t think about the mirror
Don’t think about the girl
her falling the clatter
If you tell me how it ended
I will say does that matter
She got lost tending sheep
She got lost seeking water
When she learned to spell laughter
it came out as slaughter
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