the tree grows from the shoreline
and the trunk is thrust out upon the water
is this a photograph of desire? if so, whose desire?
or is desire, the lustful knot, undone in this?
is this image two dimensional?
how many dimensions is desire composed of?
how many leagues deep?
the snare of bulbous roots
casts forth its image
which does not complete itself
*
images in water
my mother is sitting in her easy chair with her oxygen
making circles with her fingers along the rise of each of its arms
she used to do this at lunchtime while sitting at the table with her novels
using the long fingers on one hand to encircle her chin, as she devoured the exotic mysteries
then later, as her eyes worsened, while we talked
she'd hold one arm and encircle her other elbow
i think about being at the river and tossing in stones
the circles widening until they swallow my image as i hang over the bridge
i look a little like my mother
