Cole Swensen

To Word

Seven times I told you
and seven times you asked me what. 

The cold makes you feel
the edge of your body
in a photograph. 

A glove of no. 

Your tongue split and tied. 

If you split a crow’s tongue
he can speak

the repeated name

the seven miles without water
that has no name. 

so you can stay. 

You have to split it
when they’re young
when language seems natural.