Hour of the Ox

73 Pages·2016·0.244 MB·English

by  Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello

HOUR OF THE OX
PITT POETRY SERIES
Ed Ochester, Editor
H O U R
O F
T H E
OX
MARCI CALABRETTA CANCIO-BELLO
University of Pittsburgh Press
This book is the winner of the 2015 Donald Hall Prize for Poetry, awarded by the Association
of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP). AWP, a national organization serving more than three
hundred colleges and universities, has its headquarters at George Mason University, Mail Stop
1E3, Fairfax, VA 22030.
The Donald Hall Prize for Poetry is made possible by the generous support of Amazon.com.
Published by the University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15260
Copyright © 2016, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Printed on acid-free paper
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 13: 978-0-8229-6421-6
ISBN 10: 0-8229-6421-X
Cover art: Pan by South African artist Jono Dry. Artwork can be found at Jonodryart.com.
Cover design by Joel W. Coggins
For every brother I’ve ever had,
remembered or not

CONTENTS
Anti-Elegy 1
I

Old Country, New World 5
Disconsolate Brother Returns as Penumbra 7
Postmarked 8
Bonsai 10
Restitution for the Grandson 11
All the Sheep Have Scattered 12
Invocation 13
Happiness 15
Oath 16
Cultivation 18
Herdboy and Weaver 19
From the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows 21
Brother Returns as Chrysanthemum 22
History 23
Generosity 24
Your Mouth Is Full of Birds 25
In Season 26
The Last Supper 27
II
Ode to Hunger 31
Brother Returns as Octopus 32
The Sea Urchin 33
Haenyeo: Image of the Pearl Diver 34
The Pearl Divers’ Daughters 36
The Asked-For Day 38
Penance 39
Last Half of a Letter from Home 41
Apodyopsis 42
Storm Elegy 43
Diffusion 45
Remedies for Grieving 46
Brother Returns as Sunflower 48
Vase of Ashes 49
Apperception 50
Brother Who Does Not Surface 52
Sijo for Early Spring, Year of the Boar 53
Returning Home 54
Songs of Thirst: Six Sijo 55
Notes 57
Acknowledgments 61
viii
HOUR OF THE OX