Sarah Kirkland Snider – Circe and the Hanged Man

“Is he dead?” the Stranger said
No, she tells him.

Say you bounce a ball
Have you ever noticed that
Between the business of its going up
and the business of its fall
it hesitates?

It just waits
There’s a fraction of a second there
when it’s luxuriating in the air
Before its fate rushes it on.

“But he’s hanging there”
Yes, he’s hanging, yes, but from the tree of life
“Is he some sort of sacrifice?”
Yes, he’s a sacrifice…
He gave himself to himself so he could see.
He gave himself to himself so he could see.
He gave himself to himself so he could see.

He gave himself
“So he could see?”
As only you can see
When the world is upside down
And you hang
From the branch of a tree

“So that’s me?”
Yes, it’s where you seem to be.
And you hang from the branch of a tree.
“So that’s me?”
Yes, it’s where you seem to be.
“So that’s me.”