John Cloutier

Scapulamancy

The hummingbird who normally operates the gears

inside my ribcage is gone. Shadows turn corners.

The morning bus is peopled with workers.

Heavy and slow becomes quick and strong.

The sun yawns. I see a woman’s collarbone on the bus ride home and think

about the ancient Asian art of shoulder bone divination. I stumble

hardhat in hand remembering two small beauty marks on your collar bone

and wings begin moving the gears. I put the radio on, shower,

write these words

and wonder about the oceans the other passengers have to cross.



John Cloutier was raised in Ottawa. He is a recent Carleton University graduate, who has been published in Canadian poetry magazines such as The New Orphic Review and Bywords Quarterly Journal. He is currently working on his first collection of poetry.

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Mike Blouin writes...

Great poem. Cloutier always types the right words!

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