Caxtons are mechanical birds with many wings br and some are treasured for their markings -- br br they cause the eyes to melt br or the body to shriek without pain. br br I have never seen one fly, but br sometimes they perch on the hand. br br Mist is when the sky is tired of flight br and rests its soft machine on ground: br br then the world is dim and bookish br like engravings under tissue paper. br br Rain is when the earth is television. br It has the property of making colours darker. br br Model T is a room with the lock inside -- br a key is turned to free the world br br for movement, so quick there is a film br to watch for anything missed. br br But time is tied to the wrist br or kept in a box, ticking with impatience. br br In homes, a haunted apparatus sleeps, br that snores when you pick it up. br br If the ghost cries, they carry it br to their lips and soothe it to sleep br br with sounds. And yet they wake it up br deliberately, by tickling with a finger. br br Only the young are allowed to suffer br openly. Adults go to a punishment room br br with water but nothing to eat. br They lock the door and suffer the noises br br alone. No one is exempt br and everyone's pain has a different smell. br br At night when all the colours die, br they hide in pairs br br and read about themselves -- br in colour, with their eyelids shut.