The Scrambler- 3 poems by Nava Fader

3 poems by Nava Fader

flowers vivid as bandages (Plath)

                                             Fibonacci falls
                                             prey to prosody tooth
                                             to tongue the figfruit
                                             is without flower today
                                             you have become invisible
                                             as the dumur missionaries
                                             stake the figs in northern
                                             california proof
                                             is smaller
                                             edible
                                             seeds intimate
                                             association
                                             between fig species
                                             and their wasp pollinators.

You come back from war with the body you have (A. Rich)

                                             and do not ask
                                             for water. Kitchen tile
                                             intact intractable island
                                             freezes you on the spot. Escape
                                             wholeness? brevity? call me
                                             stumpy skin is skin
                                             babydoll holds it in

                                             no words
                                             are hands waiting
                                             to be filled.

They have not yet learned of loyalty, how it is / fiercer than death, more blood than berries (Svalina and Cohen in Bird Dog #9)

                                             black licorice whorl
                                             candycrock the hole
                                             in your side seeping
                                             sticky the maul
                                             of sleep beckons
                                             treacle
                                             dark of blackberry
                                             memory

is not without
price

                                             mousie wide mouth
                                             jars noseeums catcha
                                             scrawny ones even touch blue

step on a crack
break your mother’s back

                                             down in my gully it feels funny
                                             railroad tracks running
                                             like licorice
                                             whip mama
                                             hold your breath past all the names
                                             and make a wish

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