Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. CONTENTS vii
3. PREFACE xiii
4. I LIKE MARY GLASS 1
5. DANCE IS OUR FIRST ART FORM 2
6. UNDER A NEARLY CLOUDLESS SKY 4
7. A CAUL SHOULD BE KEPT FOR LIFE 9
8. THE DEFEATED OWL SPIRIT 12
9. LAKE TAHOE NEVER BLINKS 13
10. ALONE IN THE SHELL 15
11. TAKING THREE HUNDRED YEARS TO GROW INTO AN OAK TREE 19
12. A DESIRE TO STEAL 21
13. LIKE ANYTHING THAT FEELS REALLY, REALLY GOOD 25
14. UNTIL THEY ARE LOST 28
15. THE PACIFIC IS MADE OF THE BLUES OF MARY’S DREAM OF A GLASS HOUSE 34
16. LIKE THE JELLYFISH THAT WASH UP ON THE BEACH THAT SHE SOMETIMES ACCIDENTALLY STEPS ON 35
17. FAIRYTALE MODERNISM 38
18. APPETITE 43
19. WE’VE DANCED WITH RUTH AND MERCE ON ANNA’S REDWOOD DECK 44
20. AT LAST, THEY COME OUT—EXPLOSIVELY BUT GENTLY 45
21. HEART BEATING UNDER BARK 50
22. MARY DOES NOT LOVE AARON 54
23. I COULD SEE THAT THEY WERE RUNNING AND SKIPPING AND TO ME IT WAS DANCING 56
24. HER VOICE IS VOLUPTUOUS, ALMOST MASCULINE 58
25. EVEN THOUGH SHE IS A VEGETARIAN 62
26. MY EXCITED PUPILS ENLARGED / M. XXX 64
27. THE SECRET THAT WAS MELODY’S ALONE 67
28. IN YOU 69
29. HONEY FROM MR. LARKIN’S BEES 70
30. LIKE THE NOSES OF RABBITS 71
31. THE STARS ARE ALIGNED 72
32. EYES WASHED IN TEARS 73
33. GIRLFRIENDS WHO TRAVELED TO THE OTHER SIDE 75
34. MARY CANNOT IMAGINE THAT IT IS ANYTHING SERIOUS 80
35. IMAGINATION IS A KILLER 82
36. THE NATURE OF GRIEF 84
37. THE SAME THING 85
38. MARY’S COMPANION LOVER 88
39. HE WILL LOSE NICO 89
40. INTO HER SKIRT POCKET 90
41. TO WAIT IS TO LOVE 92
42. LIKE A DRUG IN ELIZA’S VEINS 94
43. PULLED OUT BY CODA’S HOT LIGHT 99
44. TO EAT IS TO STEAL 101
45. TO LOVE IS TO WAIT 104
46. DANCE THAT IS ALL 105
47. TIME TO DANCE 106
48. A SCALE MODEL OF VIETNAM 108
49. TO NOURISH 109
50. THE HALPRINS ARE FRIENDS OF GODUNOVA 110
51. AND NO BIRDS SING 111
52. A BIG NEWFOUNDLAND DOG NAMED CARLO 112
53. MOTHER OF BLACK DANCE 114
54. BIG, DROOLING, SHEDDING BEAST 115
55. THE SAME DEEP THOUGHT 117
56. THE KNITTING IS SO TENDER 120
57. DOWN HAIGHT STREET 121
58. NO STRINGS 122
59. YUCATECOS LIKE ME SPEAK MAYA 127
60. VISIBLE STARS, EVEN WHEN THE SUN IS UP 132
61. SOMETHING BEGINS 133
62. MARY SEES A BABY’S FACE IN THE WAVES 136
63. CURVED AS A DOLPHIN BONE HELD IN THE SEA 138
64. ELIZA SAYS HER SORROW IS SO GREAT THAT THE MOUNTAINS CHANGED PLACES AND BEGAN TO LEAK MILK 139
65. OCEAN’S TIME 141
66. BLOOD EVERYWHERE 144
67. NOTHING INSIDE OF MARY 145
68. NO SONG 146
69. IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED? 147
70. THAT DARK INVOLVEMENT WITH BLOOD AND BIRTH AND DEATH 148
71. THAT WHITE FEATHER FLOATING ON TOP OF THE SEA 149
72. WHAT HAPPENED? 150
73. WOULD SOMETHING ELSE HAVE HAPPENED? 153
74. UNTIL IT DISSOLVES IN ONE’S MOUTH 154
75. THE HEART IS A SAFE PLACE / ESPECIALLY IF IT BELONGS TO A BELOVED SISTER 156
76. AS SHE FINGERS THE BREATH HOLES OF THE ABALONE SHELL AGAIN 159
77. AND SOMEONE TURNED THE MOON OFF 162
78. TO DISAPPEAR 163
79. LIKE THE SEA 164
80. AFTERWOR(L)D 167
81. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 173
82. ILLUSTRATION CREDITS 175
83. NOTES 179