Wonder Engine

--Jane Zwart

Before it is warm, even: the heedlessness

of birds, hair-trigger trick kites. Before

it is warm, dawn pong–skunk-leaked,

aerosol thiol–and clutch of peppercorns,

shit of an infant rabbit.

This is the order of things:

snowdrops come down with wry neck

come up before daffodils, manes fanned,

uncrepe their trumpets. Whisked, lees

season ponds shingled with fishkill.

Nature’s first gold is gray, fossil

her first fuel. Oh, spring: finches,

concupiscent and Triassic; oh, rot:

the earth’s meat; and, perennial, oh:

pyrophone, party horn, blast

of auriferous dust.