DPF / Dickey

For Berryman, from The Best American Poetry 1997, editor James Tate, series editor David Lehman.

from The Death of John Berryman / by William Dickey

He loosened his necktie and the recurrent dream
of walking out under water to the destined island.
His mother went over in pearls; his father went over.
His real father went over, whoever his father was.

DPF / Berryman

from #29 / by John Berryman

There sat down, once, a thing on Henry’s heart
so heavy, if he had a hundred years
& more, & weeping, sleepless, in all them time
Henry could not make good.
Starts again always in Henry’s ears
the little cough somewhere, an odour, a chime.