G A L L O P I N G P E R S O N A S
BY WANDA PHIPPS
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so the mask remains baffling
say hello to the mask
a new way of being a "Person"
or a hurricane Cordelia in Biloxi beauty
there's a mountain out my window
and you must wear a golden blouse
reading this a golden blouse
may seem somehow baffling
out the American airplane window
is an unidentified flying woman mask
of quiltlike patterned asymmetrical beauty
i'm packing—it's raining—i'm a person
retelling the personal
story—walking for our mothers in a blouse
of golden—sleeping—whispering beauty
her name was Jackie Gleason, baffling
just listen to your heart and the mask
the pre-focus flies out the window
what's hip? who knows? who cares? not the window
i remind them of a galloping person
dreaming again—let the mask
go—let us know when you find it—the blouse?
"the key's on the Hawaiian nude" baffling
did you kiss my back and murmur another beauty's
name—just for fun—let's investigate beauty
the historic, poetic window
of this event is ever baffling
H.D. was called "Dactyl" "Hildy" "Person"
Bryher was always "He" in a blouse
but really "Winifred" in her "fido" mask
she wants to go into analysis in Brazil—masking
nice dogs have no teeth but rare beauty
he said "wow" "oh" said she in her golden blouse
fill up the sound window
the play's the carriage and a person
sings of the secret boarder, baffling
songs of a baffling secret mask
experiencing persons of great beauty
by love's window in a golden blouse
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