photo at the beach taken at the edge of the water, with the water rippling up over hunks of coral submerged in sand, and some darker pieces of coral visible pointing up out of the shallow water, reflecting warm light.

to cross the Rubicon, where left meets right,
we found a body. being unrecognized,
we hold it side-by-side her photograph.
the printed animal in black and white
was captive to the scene: how Bettie used
the furniture, her pose and what it meant
to her, her legs and what they wore for us.
stilettos pointed out the stars. surely
they were not hours in bondage to a fault.
the leather business never skins enough,
as keys to pleasure play the vault betrayed,
and suits around her salivate like wolves.
the burlesque empire folds itself around the twain:
a missing woman tangled in the pinup queen.


//

Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)

but if
(on the other hand)
you still long for (potheein)
anything

leading (the way) and holding (it) (hegoumenos)
to have been left aside (para-lepein)

// 234ξ

εἰ δ᾽ ἔτι τι σὺ ποθεῖς

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