MENUHere, hide inside me
Here, hide inside me
oil on panel. hinged tryptich, $1,400
Title comes from Richard Siken poem, War of the Foxes. Part of the Richard Siken Project, a fundraiser for Copper Canyon Press.
THE BOOK
War of the Foxes tells an artist’s story, asking what it means to be called to make—whether it is a self, love, war, or art—and what it means to answer that call. The opening poem asks an essential question: To supply the world with what?
In the ten years since the publication of Crush, Siken has been exploring this question and many others, pushing paint around on a canvas until he found something worth keeping. As a supporter of this campaign, you will be among the first to read the new poems, the first to see the paint strokes and discover what they can mean.
Your contribution to the success of this campaign will enable Copper Canyon Press, a nonprofit independent publisher, to supply the world with more extraordinary books of poetry like War of the Foxes.
Your gift to this campaign will supply the world with more poetry. As Siken says, “The role of independent publishing is to be an open channel. There’s not a lot of money in it and there’s not a lot of money for it, and so the people who are dedicated to it are dedicated to the author, and the reader, and the work. That’s significant. Copper Canyon Press is an independent publisher, and independent publishing needs our help.”
Indeed—as a nonprofit poetry publisher, sales revenue covers only half of the annual publishing expenses at Copper Canyon. That means we rely on the generosity of people like Richard Siken and you; those who believe in poetry’s potency and importance. Your donations enable us to supply the world with extraordinary books like War of the Foxes; reaching our goal will allow us to publish 18-20 books in 2016.
Please make your donation today, and receive postcards from Richard Siken and the gift of poetry from Copper Canyon Press.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING COPPER CANYON PRESS.
All gifts are tax-deductible.
WAR OF THE FOXES (excerpt)
1
Two rabbits were chased by a fox, of all the crazy shit
in the world, and the fox kept up the chase, circling
the world until the world caught up with them in some
broken-down downtown metropolis. Inside the warren,
the rabbits think fast. Pip touches the only other
rabbit listening.
Pip: We’re doomed.
Flip: We’re not.
Pip: Are you sure?
Flip: Yes. Here, hide inside me.
This is the story of Pip and Flip, the bunny twins. We
say that once there were two and now there is only one.
When the fox sees Pip run past, he won’t know that the
one is inside the other. He’ll think, Well, there’s at least
one more rabbit in that warren. But no one’s left. You
know this and I know this. Together we trace out the
trail away from doom. There isn’t hope, there is a trail.
I follow you.
When a rabbit meets a rabbit, one takes the time to tell
the other this story. The rabbits then agree there must
be two rabbits, at least two rabbits, and that in turn
there is a trace. I am only repeating what I heard. This
is one love. There are many loves but only one war.
Bird 1: This is the same story.
Bird 2: No, this is the rest of the story.
2
Let me tell you a story about war. A man found his
life to be empty. He began to study Latin. Latin was
di5cult for the man to understand. I will study Latin,
even though it is di%cult, said the man. Yes, even if it is
difficult.
Let me tell you a story about war. A man had a dream
about a woman and then he met her. the man had
a dream about the woman’s former lover. The former
lover was sad, he wanted to fight. the man said to the
woman, I will have to comfort your former lover or I will
always be fighting him in my dreams. Yes, said the woman.
You will need to comfort him, or we will never be
fnished with this.
Let me tell you a story about war. A fisherman’s son
and his dead brother sat on the shore. !at is my country
and this is your country and the line in the sand is the
threshold between them, said the dead brother. Yes, said
the fisherman’s son.
You cannot have an opponent if you keep saying yes.
Bird 1: ;is is the wrong story.
Bird 2: All stories are the wrong story when you are impatient.
Let me tell you a story about war. A man says to another
man, Can I tell you something? The other man says,
No. A man says to another man, !ere is something I
have to tell you. No, says the other man. No, you don’t.
Bird 1: Now we are getting somewhere.
Bird 2: Yes, yes we are.