(Week Six) Improvisation #2 of Form

of Edward Hirsch's "Dark Tour"

I like the way Hirsch creates these tiny, episodic, snowglobes of travel. Talk about the capturing the microcosmic site; he does it brilliantly.

Ed Hirsch's poem generates 30 of these three-liners. I'll only be handling 3.

My improv'


1. Spoleto

My love, sex itself is a kind
of tortured twist. And for a few seconds,
your head arched back, you're ugly.

2. Bologna 

The air was a lot like a young girl's
skin, melted gold. A yellow of fairy
tales, the sun tilted its head back, waking.

3. France

In the hostel bathroom, love,
your lips like two wet bars
of pressure on my mouth.