The Iowa Review

Ali, Kazim

Saraswati Puja

Sotelo, Analicia

My Mother as the Voice of Kahlo

Bowen, Elizabeth

Mysterious Kôr

Brown, D. F.

Happy Valley above Vinh Thanh

Barrett, Melissa

Asbestos at Best

Cafferty, Catherine

How Sweet

Manning Jr., Terrance

Protecting the Pit

Ritvo, Max

Dinner in Los Angeles, Raining in July

Livesey, Margot

The Flight of the Hawk: An Introduction to Elizabeth Bowen's "Mysterious Kôr"

Roach, Caitlin

22
caitlin roach
morning hymn 
after E.M. Cioran
a bit of blood this morning—
 stop trying, dear. I have told you I am 
      immunized to faith, still I believe 
in a trilogy of twins 
   like us, in safekeeping, in 
that blank console, keeper of all 
     our secrets, etc.  
   what is it—
    are you so full, are you so sound
   & how is it
       you hoard all that chaos & still 
 move so thick through rooms
      taking with you the stasis of a kestrel
   in flight. if I held, if I blew
    you in my small hands, that sweet
                     yellow flesh would slip
      through as the quetsch plum 
              meat falls from its pit. 
 
          stop being so whole.   
 be wary that I may grow tired
    of you, my sweet  
& your meeting god too frequently.  
—still, come. 
       glut this purged body. make it holy. 
 the recipe needs, the mouth is calling 
         for a little spit,
              a little salt
           & the hour’s hinge


English

Morning hymn

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