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Since 1996 Volume XXI

Robert Sward

Red Hen Press recently released Robert Sward's "New and Selected Poems, 1957-2011."

His "Collected Poems, 1957-2004", appeared in 2004 . Sward’s "God is in the Cracks, A Narrative for Voices,” was published by Black Moss Press. His work has been translated into Spanish, German, French and Korean.

NIGHTGOWN, WIFE’S GOWN

Where do people go when they go to sleep?

I envy them. I want to go there too.

I am outside of them, married to them.

Nightgown, wife’s gown, women that you look at,

beside them—I knock on their shoulder blades

ask to be let in. It is forbidden.

But you’re my wife, I say. There is no reply.

Arms around her, I caress her wings.