Andy Nicholson

The hammer doesn't hammer

The hammer doesn't hammer. The world reveals itself.

The hammer doesn't hammer. 9:18 AM. The world reveals itself.

The hammer doesn't hammer. One column for failure, one column for choice. 9:18 AM. Omission of a name. The world reveals itself.

The hammer doesn't hammer. 9:18 AM. The world reveals itself.

The hammer doesn't hammer. The world reveals itself.

The hammer doesn't hammer. Failure or choice. The world reveals itself.

The hammer doesn't hammer. She drops the telephone—you're in the doorway. Failure or choice. She thinks of sand when she thinks of the city. The world reveals itself.

The hammer doesn't hammer. Estranged soldier. She drops the telephonethe telephone—you’re in the doorway. Years later, the unfired rifle still rests in the glass case. Failure or choice. No, not sunspots—your binocular is pointed in the wrong direction. She thinks of sand when she thinks of the city. It illuminates itself. The world reveals itself.

4 to Larry Eigner

1

no, the wait      was enough
for me

no, afternoon

the joy of a favorite
word blinds me
for the rest of the stanza

2

I do
too

I do

not

and do you     still
do you

3

gestures with glasses
     hair back

     nervous but
you calm me

4

“photos of

     poets”

          oh

poets before me

     Heidegger’s word

     Larry’s animal

           Tristan’s sight

           fire,     rolls through matter

3 to Larry Eigner

1

heavy in the chair

                       yet

                           anxious in the room

i would respond

with a bird on my finger

2

our occupation

our punctuation

3

cupboard

     to

     hold

               in absentia

          our

                    lips

                         still

                         move