Honeycutt, Scott R.

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

The GooseVolume 16 | No. 2 Article 442-20-2018Two PoemsScott R. HoneycuttEast Tennessee State UniversityPart of the Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Literature in English, North AmericaCommons, Nature and Society Relations Commons, and the Place and Environment CommonsFollow this and additional works at / Suivez-nous ainsi que d’autres travaux et œuvres:https://scholars.wlu.ca/thegooseThis article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Goose by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Cet article vous est accessible gratuitement et en libre accès grâce à Scholars Commons @ Laurier. Le texte a été approuvé pour faire partie intégrantede la revue The Goose par un rédacteur autorisé de Scholars Commons @ Laurier. Pour de plus amples informations, contactezscholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended Citation / Citation recommandéeHoneycutt, Scott R.. "Two Poems." The Goose, vol. 16 , no. 2 , article 44, 2018,https://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol16/iss2/44.Eagles	at	Suttons	Bay		At	the	Eyaawing	museum		two	mounted	bald	eagles	hang	from	a	sun-dome,		ornaments	in	the	hall	of	spirits.	The	story	claims	that	these	mates	danced	down		sky,	clutching	talons	and	hoisting	their	wings	up	and	out	as	they	fell	in	amorous	ritual.	Entwined	as	one,	the	pair	lanced	straight	through		powerlines	and	died	before	hitting	ground.		When	they	were	found	near	a	sag	in	the	dunes,	both	still	grasped	the	other’s	talons	as	if	death,	embarrassed	by	its	intrusion,	felt	compelled	to	leave		some	message.	But	what	of	it?	Such	beautiful	violence,	frozen	and	displayed,		looms	above	visitors	and	kisses	the	chamber	amid	gaping,	yellow	beaks	and	our	equally		opened	yet	covetous	eyes.																										1Honeycutt: Two PoemsPublished by / Publié par Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2018The	Swimmer		On	summer	mornings	long	after	the	season’s	plovers	had	fled		toward	the	Atlantic,		she	would	walk	along	the	shore	of	Cathead	Bay	browsing	for	driftwood	and	pearls	of	lake	glass	that	washed	up	at	dawn.	Her	dog	kept	pace	and	jumped	in	and	out	of	the	water,	white	strokes	of	foam	leaching	from	its	legs.		And	with	her	children	asleep	in	darkened	rooms	of	the	house,		and	with	numberless	stars	fading	into	bright	air,	she	moved	through	the	quiet	of	her	body,	along	places	where	no	man		could	intrude	upon	the	distance	or	private	spaces	of	thought.	The	wind,	though,	touched	her	and	smoothed	sinews		around	her	wrist	while	fingers	sifted	sand	like	an	hourglass.		Sometimes,	too,	she	would	undress	and	dip	her	ankles	and	knees			into	Michigan’s	fresh	sea		and	then	plunge	head-long	into	the	whole	of	it:	her	body	giving	itself	without	asking;	motions	tuned	like	an	instrument	of	light	against	her	wet	and	coruscated	skin.		There,	a	daughter	first,	then	wife,	then	mother	all	embarked	as	one		figure	across	those	wave-less	waters.	Waters	that	held	the	promise	of	days	that	would	stretch	long,		and	unbroken	in	their	joys	all	the	way	westward	toward	South	Fox	Island	and	then	beyond,	past	the	delicate	vanishing	line		that	drew	closer	and	closer	with	every	stroke.										SCOTT	HONEYCUTT	is	an	assistant	professor	of	English	at	East	Tennessee	State	University.	When	he	is	not	teaching,	Scott	enjoys	walking	the	hills	of	Appalachia	and	spending	time	with	his	daughters.	2The Goose, Vol. 16, No. 2 [2018], Art. 44https://scholars.wlu.ca/thegoose/vol16/iss2/44

Two Poems

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Two Poems

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