ONCE AGAIN (a Cypripedium poem by Peter Warren)

for Peder
1
Drinking Rheingold
we drew our naked classmates at UNH
posing them
in Modigliani poses

to find those poses
anatomically
impossible

2
You photographed them too
My only camera was my
Brownie Bull’s-Eye
from age twelve

3
You married Khin
moved to Commonwealth Ave
in not far Boston

where I haunted the shops
in Copley Square
looking for books

on that same Modigiiani
In Jeanne Modigliani’s
Amadeo Modigliani

4
he wears a corduroy suit
with corduroy vest
& looks much like you

You found your own
courduroy vest
with its own
courduroy vest
& were our Modigliani
I was jealous

5
In Iowa I remember
you rushing in to Kenney’s
looking for a drinker’s foot
for the painting

you were painting
in your studio
ten miles
out

6
You were married to Peggy then
& I was still a virgin
& probably jealous
again

7
We lost a lot of track
after Iowa I Montanaed here
so far from your

New Hampshire & Hong Kong
You taught at Franklin Pierce
in Ringe

8
I at Eastern Montana
in Billings Married Sandi & Dawn
I’ve forgotten

your third wife’s name
It’ll be
in the obituary

9
I died in 1987
& was brought back
You died in 2008
& were not

& I wonder if I should
be jealous
once again