Muriel Nelson has two collections of poems, Part Song (Bear Star Press, 1999) and Most Wanted (ByLine Press, 2003). Her work has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in The New Republic, Ploughshares, The Beloit Poetry Journal, Northwest Review, and others. She teaches at Pierce College and Muckleshoot Tribal College in Washington State.
Finally, Still
Gestures over time overlap
in the brain, and stack
films of stills, dark where repeated, faded where not.
I've lost yours—every one of your motions has merged with everyone's.
You're gone. Finally.
A left shirt pocket opens
as someone leans forward. Now it
gapes. A thumb and four fingers together indicate (self? pen? heart?)
and the wrist blurs ... It's making your point, arcing out.
