Aperçus Quarterly 2.1

David KannAstonishinghow a shard of shell,razory beyond remedyworks its slow wayinto tender gray fleshcradled in a shell untilit speaks in lunar radiance.The soft pith flinches.The barb drives deep.Slow nacre blunts it.When the shell is pried apart,raw meat cringes in the sun,declaring blush and opal.how ambergris issomething swallowed,so loathy and vomitousthat though the whale dives deep,he carries its acheclenched and curdled in his gutuntil he vomitsor shits it out,and swims on,leaving behind floatingfoul, excremental,grey-black-streaked puddinguntil air and water’s seethemakes a gift of it—attar, balm and ease.10