Only As The Day Is Long by Dorianne Laux

Each Sound

. . .
Back then it was easy to have teeth,
claw our way into the trees---it was
accepted, the monkeys loved us, sat
on their red asses clapping and laughing.
We've forgotten the luxury of dumbness,
how once we crouched naked on an outcrop
of rock, the moon huge and untouched
above us, speechless. Now we talk
about everything, incessantly,
our moans and grunts turned on a spit
into warm vowels and consonants.
We say plethora, demitasse, ozone and love.
. . .

Day 28: #TheSealeyChallenge