COUNTING OURSELVES

For the Yup'ik Eskimo, nine
is "not quite ten," nineteen
"not quite twenty" which is,
of course, the whole person,
hands extended, toes ahead.

After that there are only other
groups of twenty standing around
in the village or the room. Thus
are we whole, having a body
to make philosophies out of--

on the one hand, on the other,
the sides of things, the something
going on behind our backs. Thus
are we all major intersections
of limbs, a crossing of sticks. Truly

we are what we can count on,
gripping everything there is
or could be, as I number it up
for all of us, for me, for--stretch
your hands out--yes, for you.