Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on the author, click here.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
MOJO SONGS (NEW POEMS)
A WORLD OF DAUGHTERS
OUR SIDE OF THE CREEK
SLINGSHOT
A PRAYER FOR WORKERS
THE CANDLELIGHT LOUNGE
SHELTER
THE MUSHROOM GATHERERS
AFTER THE BURN PITS
THE MOUNTAIN
DEAD RECKONING III
THE SOUL’S SOUNDTRACK
THE BODY REMEMBERS
FROM
TALKING DIRTY TO THE GODS
HOMO ERECTUS
UTETHEISA ORNATRIX, THE FIRST GODDESS
NIGHT RITUAL
LIME
ODE TO THE MAGGOT
SLIME MOLDS
SLOTH
NIPPLES
SCAPEGOAT
VENUS OF WILLENDORF
SLAVES AMONG BLADES OF GRASS
A PORTRAIT OF (SELF) DECEPTION
SEX TOYS
MEDITATIONS ON A THUMBSCREW
BEDAZZLED
THE CONGO SNAKE
THE LURE
INFIDELITY
UKIYO-E
AMBER
ODE TO DUST
BODY OF A WOMAN (CADAVERE DI DONNA)
REMUS & ROMULUS
PAN
EPITHALAMIUM
THE BUSINESS OF ANGELS
EROS
MAY
LUST
WHEN DUSK WEIGHS DAYBREAK
SHIVA
A SMALL SYSTEM
HOMUNCULUS
ECSTATIC
SPEED BALL
A FAMOUS GHOST
AVARICE
ROLLERBLADES
MONKEY WRENCH
MEDITATIONS ON A FILE
THE GOD OF LAND MINES
CURATOR OF KOSINSKI’S MASK
POSTSCRIPT TO A SUMMER NIGHT
SEPTEMBER
CURANDERISMO
THE POLECAT
CROW LINGO
THE DEVIL’S WORKSHOP
MUD
EUPHONY
FROM
TABOO
LINGO
IMHOTEP
BACCHANAL
NUDE STUDY
AT THE RED SEA
TROUBLING THE WATER
LINGUA FRANCA
DESECRATION
LOVE IN THE TIME OF WAR
FROM
WARHORSES
THE HELMET
GRENADE
THE TOWERS
HEAVY METAL SOLILOQUY
SURGE
THE DEVIL COMES ON HORSEBACK
FROM “AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MY ALTER EGO”
FROM
THE CHAMELEON COUCH
CANTICLE
THE JANUS PREFACE
IGNIS FATUUS
A TRANSLATION OF SILK
DEAD RECKONING
CAPE COAST CASTLE
BLACK FIGS
FATA MORGANA
ENGLISH
POPPIES
ORPHEUS AT THE SECOND GATE OF HADES
THREE FIGURES AT THE BASE OF A CRUCIFIXION
A VISIT TO INNER SANCTUM
UNLIKELY CLAIMS
WHEN EYES ARE ON ME
BEGOTTEN
BLUE DEMENTIA
GRUNGE
GREEN
THE HEDONIST
HOW IT IS
A VOICE ON AN ANSWERING MACHINE
TOGETHERNESS
DEAR MISTER DECOY
ONTOLOGY & GUINNESS
FROM
THE EMPEROR OF WATER CLOCKS
THE LAND OF COCKAIGNE
THE WATER CLOCK
THE EMPEROR
THE FOOL
THE KING’S SALT
TURNER’S GREAT TUSSLE WITH WATER
SKULKING ACROSS SNOW
SPRUNG RHYTHM OF A LANDSCAPE
ROCK ME, MERCY
ISLANDS
LATITUDES
THE RELIC
ET TU, BRUTE?
THE GOLD PISTOL
THE CIRCUS
MINOTAUR
TORSION
FORTRESS
LONGITUDES
DAYTIME BEGINS WITH A LINE BY ANNA AKHMATOVA
MICHIO ITO’S FOX & HAWK
CAFFE REGGIO
KRAR
DEAD RECKONING II
A NIGHT IN TUNISIA
THE GREEN HORSE
ODE TO THE OUD
ENVOY TO PALESTINE
TIMBUKTU
GHAZAL, AFTER FERGUSON
INTERROGATION
PRECIOUS METALS
A PRAYER
THE WORK OF ORPHEUS
EMPYREAN ISLES
FROM
REQUIEM
Acknowledgments
Index of Titles and First Lines
Also by Yusef Komunyakaa
A Note About the Author
Copyright
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
120 Broadway, New York 10271
Copyright © 2021 by Yusef Komunyakaa
All rights reserved
First edition, 2021
E-book ISBN: 978-0-374-60014-3
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
www.fsgbooks.com
www.twitter.com/fsgbooks • www.facebook.com/fsgbooks