Ana Marie Cox

“I don’t think
that is valid”
—Vassil Mitzeu

Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant. Translated by James W. Ellington.

Found by the project’s great friend, Erik Cooke.

poem #1

talking about love
the meaning of sex
and agreeing to let our
humor go
as the first eve of spring blows
in the door, bringing with it the
sweet green small of damp lawn and
rain, the hum of traffic and voices from
across the alley.

poem #2

stepping into deep new snow
in a night made silver by
moonlight and ice
big, sot flakes of white
stick to my hair and skin
then melt and run
down like tears
but I don’t cry.
Not now,
with your arm around
me, resting easily
on my shoulders
upon me like
a promise or a smile
or a gift

poem #3

the sun has warmed me for so long-
so I take my book
turn on the stereo
and pretend that it is spring already
lost in my philosophy
I barely hear you
but I do. And I go to you,
you calling my name with
a question mark at the end,
I go to you.
And you tell me that nothing is the matter, that
nothing is wrong, but that you just
wanted to see if I was there.

#4

can’t speak sometimes
when I think of him,
remember closeness
that even in memory,
faded, many times renewed
memory, sent secret chills
thru me.

#5
give time
to me
speckle the
ground
sunlight and
too few shadows

“self-evident”

unprovable
assumption

pure, unadulterated
REASON
25 min.
yeah.

I don’t know how I
feel about people wearing
my cleats, tho!

moves slow