almost entirely byimmigration, bymobility of psyche and ofbody,bytheinvention required uponfinding yourself in newterrain, removed from traditional answers andtraditional ways.I wouldsayas wellthat American poetry continuestoreflect theindividualism ofitshomecountry 's founding self-definition, andtheconfidence inoneperson's, oronesmallgroupofpersons', capacity to findsomething truly new - legacies ofa country founded morein revolution and home-leaving thanincontinuance. Thereis the matter ofspeech patterns, thesensethat certain rhythms, sentences, phrases, certain words, have become portable ground, pocketable seedstock. Andthere is theimmigrant traveler's perennial hunger andsearch for what canbemadeknown, madehome,thatleadsAmerican poems,more often than not, toward therespite andsustenance ofthelocalandradiant detail - thereflection in granite ofa mother stroking thehairofa boy.It isa habit ofmindthat comeswhentheworldis felt asnew, asneeding registration inthe mapsof psyche, language, andheart - thetraveler looks for landmarks bywhich togoforward, andalso for a placetositandrest a while, totakeinthe immensity ofwhat hasbeen, ofwhat liesahead. MillValley ,California Editorial note: WLT gratefully acknowledges the following publishers for granting permission toreprint the poems included here: Catherine Barnett, "Untitled (frontspiece)," from Into Perfect Spheres Such Holes Are Pierced (Alice James Books, 2004), copyright©2004 by Catherine Barnett. Robert Creeley, "IKnow a Man," from Selected Poems, 1945-2005, ed.Benjamin Friedlander (University of California Press, 2008), copyright© 1962/2008 by Robert Creeley andthe Regents oftheUniversity of California. Kenneth Koch, "Movement," from The Collected Poems of Kenneth Koch (Knopf, 2005), copyright©2002/2005 by the Kenneth Koch Literary Estate. Yusef Komunyakaa, "Facing It," from Pleasure Dome: New andCollected Poems (Wesleyan University Press, 2001 ),copyright©1988/2001 by Yusef Komunyakaa. W. S.Merwin,"Rain Light," from The Shadow of Sirius (Copper Canyon Press, 2008), copyright©2008 by W.S. Merwin, by permission of the Wylie Agency, Inc. Jean Valentine, "Once inthenights," from Door inthe Mountain: New and Collected Poems, 1965-2003 (Wesleyan University Press, 2004), copyright©2004by Jean Valentine. The End of a Love Affair (Mina Agossi) Ngwatilo Mawiyoo Whenyouarepastthefuzzies, pastspeaking eachnight - calling atdawn,pastconjoining yourlife tohisbypalmandcellphone; Whenthememory ofyoutwotogether, after it'sover, protects youfrom others whowouldblockoutthesoundofyour skin - thesmallofyour back, even- aching tobealone,poresbreathing airatlast, grateful whiletheshadowofhimfades; Silence willbeyours tofind yourself again, theoneyoulovedso fiercely before towhomyoumusteventually befaithful, theonewhowillnotaccept shiny stones andflowersthenotebooks andvocabulary youcollected, scraps toproveyoulearnt something useful ontheway . Ngwatilo Mawiyoo's new research explores the homes and lives of families inrural Kenya. She plans torelease a book of poems onthe subject in2012, tofollow her critically acclaimed first collection, Blue Mothertongue (2010), which explored simitar ideas asthey manifest inNairobi and the African diaspora. Inperformance she often collaborates with musicians and other artists, exploring their potential to"tell" poetry in anaesthetic she dubs'Puesic" [pew-zik]. Editorial note :Tolisten tothe author performing this poem set to music, visit worldliteraturetoday.com. September -October 201 1153 Q to cc O Q. o o X Q. ...