We wanted to witness the naming after bathing
the bowed heads bowed down with the naming
the signature nomenclature bestowed now down
on the head lifted up from the circulating water.
Who wanted Adam to name the animals his names?
Did they or didn’t? Each it had its own known name
if known only once when its mind formed the word
its tongue would soon blare out there on beginning.
One crept up from the grass. One alit onto branch.
One slithered along mud mother, raised its head.
One stood up, never knew from whence it came.
One howled, one sang, one hissed, one spit its name.
Which what would the emerging squirming who claim?
