Most Read... John McAuliffeBill Manhire in Conversation with John McAuliffe
(PN Review 259)
Patricia CraigVal Warner: A Reminiscence
(PN Review 259)
Joshua WeinerAn Exchange with Daniel Tiffany/Fall 2020
(PN Review 259)
Eavan BolandA Lyric Voice at Bay
(PN Review 121)
Vahni CapildeoOn Judging Prizes, & Reading More than Six Really Good Books
(PN Review 237)
Christopher MiddletonNotes on a Viking Prow
(PN Review 10)
Next Issue Sinead Morrissey 'The Lightbox' Philip Terry 'What is Poetry' Ned Denny 'Nine Poems after Verlaine' Sasha Dugdale 'On learning that Russian mothers buy their soldier sons lucky belts inscribed with Psalm 90 to wear into battle' Rod Mengham 'Cold War Hot Air'
Poems Articles Interviews Reports Reviews Contributors
Reader Survey
PN Review Substack

This poem is taken from PN Review 199, Volume 37 Number 5, May - June 2011.

Four Poems Gwyneth Lewis
Taxonomy

Dusky junco, dusky junco, jay,
Towhee, testy towhee, testy towhee go
Swallow, swallow, swallow, swift,
Culture, give me cultured kite. Oh no,
Carnivorous shrike, no, not the shrike!
I do, the sparrow, oriole.
Eh, ee, ah, oo oriole.


Field Guide to Dementia

To see you is egret,
No, red kite high
On a thermal,
Holding your hand
Is wagtail, comfort.

I think some cuckoo's laid
Its egg of dark inside my head.

Words have migrated,
...


Searching, please wait... animated waiting image