A Note for Johnny Coral Hull
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“Tap”

“tap facing” “into the grass” “crickets” “frogs” “tap”
“like the head” “of a horse” “poised” “still” “cold and
majestic” “tap” “never moving tap” “tap” “trapped
inside itself” “never moving” “in the rain” “never

moving” “all summer long“ “it was a long summer”
“our longest ever” “the flies” “the tap” “the grass
trembling” “around the tap” “grass thicker” “than skin”
“the grass” “the thick” “bright green” “grass moistened”

“by the tap” “the grass living” “and dying” “in the night”
“the morning” “insects” “all the insects living” “dying”
“around the tap” “that never lives” “or dies” “the tap”
“that faces” “the wild dandelions” “that spring up” “and

knock down” “like the knockdown grasses” “inside the
gale” “the wind” “your hair” “your last smile” “here”
“has carried me” “forwards” “by the Gary scarecrow”
“the apple tree” “no apples now” “but the great brown

horses” “who own” “the mystery” “of this paddock”
“paddock” “in their image” “like all great paddocks”
“inhabited” “by horses” “the grace of horses” “they own
each other” “their sun” “in the mornings” “their calm

places” “out of the wind” “their open gates” “and leafy
“oily dams” “the waterbirds” “oh” “the dark lovely
crow” “lonelier” “than the evening” “more company”
“finally us” “the tap” “nestled” “into the pipes” “of the

house” “pipes” “the backbone” “of the tap” “the only
bone” “that will never release us” “the tap” “with frost”
“is still” “stiller” “than a field” “of frost” “stiller” “stiller
than birds” “before a winter downpour” “on dark” “the

tap” “it is rusty” “cold” “yet it persists” “here” “as itself”
“give this tap” “warmth” “the warmth of your gaze”
“give it” “your innocence” “it will not harm you” “give
the tap” “your curiosity” “questions” “the absolute

place” “you share” “in time” “with it” “your backbone”
“your stillness” “and uneventuating dreams” “your
child’s life” “your loss” “the weariness” “of your hands”

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