Noelle Kocot’s The Bigger World was the Rumpus Poetry Book Club’s selection for the month of February. You can read Gabrielle Calvocoressi’s essay on why she chose the book here and you can read the Poetry Book Club’s chat with Kocot here.
Sonnet to Ash Wednesday
A daft world, yes, but who is to
Bargain with the cook?
If I stay here, half-asleep,
Waiting for the syncopating
Wolves, I will shave my soul
Off in one sitting. Let those
Who never stuttered tears
Then swallowed them, go on
Like the valiant and pocked
Stars above a shoe rack.
Let those who always eat cheese
Tell us where we should
Lie, and wait for our calls
In the darkness.
