Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Kathryn Daszkiewicz

NIL BY MOUTH

NIL BY MOUTH

NIL BY MOUTH

Another stroke, and, as if it were a bird
your swallow vanishes. Flies off

at the start of a bleak season
on the blue scythe of its wings.

Your mind, flitting across some other
sky, is closed to us, our futile

bedside twitterings, is perched
on a cusp between worlds

seeking finer air. While
the dark screen of poplars beyond

the hospital window
obscures our view

of heaven.
Close

NIL BY MOUTH

Another stroke, and, as if it were a bird
your swallow vanishes. Flies off

at the start of a bleak season
on the blue scythe of its wings.

Your mind, flitting across some other
sky, is closed to us, our futile

bedside twitterings, is perched
on a cusp between worlds

seeking finer air. While
the dark screen of poplars beyond

the hospital window
obscures our view

of heaven.

NIL BY MOUTH

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
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