Talvikki Ansel Biography

Olive green of pond water, tea-
colored is the newt's body.
Legs stroking, it floats close
to the surface, lazily circles
...

The wasp's gray sphere,
papered layers I held
imagining the wings' heat
...

it's iron, the bottle
crouched on its white pedestal,
long beak spout and wide open handle
...

Tree of the musky pods split open,
of almond-shaped leaflets, taut skin,
the Cooper's Hawk picking off a fat pigeon
in the bank parking lot,
...

Smoothed ribbon, night light, once
there were wool dogs isolated
on an island off the sand spit.
My dovekie, my twisted strand of kelp
...