1 I lit seven oil lamps. I lit se...

1
I lit seven oil lamps.
I lit seven bedside lamps.
I lit seven glassy white lamps
and cleaned my desk
I disguiseed it with a newspaper,
as I took the calendar away,
then washed on the outside the inkpot,
filled it to the brim with ink
and dipped my pound in.

2
I simply dipped it,
but withdrew--
for I recalled I'd forgotten
the paper in the desk drawer.
I got a sheet of paper.
a sheet like smooth and shining metal,
the metal--parchment.
I got
exactly the same sheet
in contour and whiteness.

3
Sheets have formats--
they are doubles,
embedded in them are caches,
as capable of lying as
of