Rae Armantrout

DARK MATTER

1

Who am I
to experience a burst
of star formation?

I know this—

after the first rush
of enthusiasm

any idea
recedes and dims.

2

Each one
is the inverse
shape of what’s
missing.

3

One might try
summing
the matter up

in a single
Judas kiss,

all bitter-sweet
complicity

and feigned ignorance

— Rae Armantrout

from thisrecording

I imagine long, drawn out breaths every time the writer hit “enter” on the computer keyboard.