If I gave 5 birds br each 4 eyes br I would be blind br unto the 3rd br generation, if I br gave no one a word br for a day br and let the day br grow into a week br and the week sleep br until it was br half of my life br could I come home br to my father br one dark night? br br On Sundays an odd light br grows on the bed br where I have lived br this half of my life br alight that begins br with the eyes br blinding first one br and then both br until at last br even the worn candles br in the flower box br lay down their heads. br br Therefore I have come br to this red shirt br with its faultless row br of dark buttons, 7 br by my count, as dark br as blood that poured br over my lips br when the first word br of hope jumped br and became a cry br of birds calling br for their wings, br a cry of new birds. br br This is the red shirt br Adam gave to the Angel br of Death when he asked br for a son, this br is the flag Moses br waved 5 times br above his head br as he stumbled br down the waves br of the mountainous sea br bearing the Tables of 10, br this is the small cloth br mother put in br my lunch box br with bread and water. br br This is my red shirt br in which I go to meet br you, Father of the Sea, br in which I will say br the poem I learned br from the mice. A row br of faultless buttons, br each one 10 years br and the eye of the bird br that beheld the first world br and the last, a field br of great rocks weeping, br and no one to see br me alone, day after br day, in my red shirt.