PLATT
MAN PRAYING
MAN PRAYING
DONALD PLAT T
Free Verse Editions Edited by Jon Thompson
Poems
MAN PRAYING
Donald Platt
Parlor Press Anderson, South Carolina www.parlorpress.com
Paror Press C, Anderson, South Caroîna, 29621
© 2017 by Paror Press A rîghts reserved. Prînted în the Unîted States o Amerîca S A N: 2 5 4 - 8 8 7 9
îbrary o Congress Cataogîng-în-Pubîcatîon Data
Names: Patt, Donad, 1957- author. Tîte: Man prayîng : poems / Donad Patt. Descrîptîon: Anderson, South Caroîna : Paror Press, [2017] | Serîes: Free verse edîtîons | ïncudes bîbîographîca reerences. ïdentîîers: CCN 2017038742 (prînt) | CCN 2017038931 (ebook) | ïSBN 9781602358829 (pd) | ïSBN 9781602358836 (epub) | ïSBN 9781602358843 ( îbook) | ïSBN 9781602358850 (mobî) | ïSBN 9781602358812 (pbk. : acîd-ree paper) Cassîîcatîon: CC PS3566.286 (ebook) | CC PS3566.286 A6 2017 (prînt) | DDC 811/.54--dc23 C record avaîabe at https://ccn.oc.gov/2017038742
978-1-60235-881-2 (paperback) 978-1-60235-882-9 (pd) 978-1-60235-883-6 (epub)
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Cover desîgn by Davîd Bakesey. Cover îmage: Chaîm Soutîne,L’Homme en prîère. (The Man în Prayer). 1921-1922. Oî on canvas. 51 x 25 1/2 în. (129.5 x 64.8 cm). Portraît o M. Racîne., oî on canvas, Prîvate Coectîon. © 2017 Estate o Chaîm Soutîne / Artîsts Rîghts Socîety (ARS), New York.” Prînted on acîd-ree paper.
Paror Press, C îs an îndependent pubîsher o schoary and trade tîtes în prînt and mutîmedîa ormats. Thîs book îs avaîabe în paperback and ebook ormats rom Paror Press on the Word Wîde Web at http://www.parorpress. com or through onîne and brîck-and-mortar bookstores. For submîssîon înormatîon or to înd out about Paror Press pubîcatîons, wrîte to Paror Press, 3015 Brackenberry Drîve, Anderson, South Caroîna, 29621, or emaî edîtor@parorpress.com.
Acknowledgmentsix
Eurydice in Hell3 Every Touch6 Offering Red10 Die Krüppelmappe27 Caravaggio’sBeheading of St. John the Baptist33 The Main Event38 Frozen Assets43 23 Quai de Voltaire50 Christ’s Entry into Brussels in 188955 One Page Torn from the Book of the Names of the Dead60 La Playa los Muertos64 Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List88 Playing Badminton with Eleanor93 Aubade with Foley Catheter96 Like Jacob at Peniel98 Fugitive Pigment101 TheDavydov104
Notes110 Free Verse Editions111 About the Author113
Contents
v
for Dana, Eleanor, and Lucy
Acknowledgments
My thanks to the edîtors o the oowîng pubîcatîons în whîch these poems, sometîmes în sîghty dîerent versîons, îrst appeared:
BLOOM:“îke Jacob at Penîe”
Crazyhorse:“îghthouse Dîgest Doomsday îst”
Ecotone:“Eurydîce în He”
Green Mountaîns Revîew: “Chrîst’s Entry înto Brusses în 1889,” “One Page Torn rom the Book o the Names o the Dead” (each eatured as a “poem o the week” on the journa’s websîte)
Gu Coast:“Caravaggîo’sBeheadîng o St. John the Baptîst”
Passages North:“Oerîng Red”
Praîrîe Schooner: “23 Quaî de Votaîre,” “Every Touch”
Seneca Revîew:“Dîe Krüppemappe,” “a Paya os Muertos”
Shenandoah:“TheDavydov”
Southwest Revîew:“The Maîn Event”
Sou’wester:“Aubade wîth Foey Catheter”
VOLT: “Payîng Badmînton wîth Eeanor”
Western Humanîtîes Revîew:“Frozen Assets,” “Fugîtîve Pîgment”
“The Maîn Event” was reprînted înThe Best Amerîcan Poetry 2015(Scrîbner).
ï am grateu to the Natîona Endowment or the Arts or an îndîvîdua artîst’s eowshîp and to Purdue Unîversîty or an Artîstîc Endeavors Feowshîp, both o whîch greaty aîded în the competîon o thîs book. Thanks to Mary eader or oerîng spot-on advîce about some o these poems and to Dana Roeser or her crucîa înput on many o the poems and on the book as a whoe. ï am îndebted to my amîy—Eeanor and ucy Patt and Dana Roeser—or theîr ove and support.