A man disappears. The woman who loves him is left scarred and haunted. In her fierce debut, Rebecca Lindenberg tells the story in verse—of her passionate relationship with Craig Arnold, a much-respected poet who disappeared in 2009 while hiking a volcano in Japan. Lindenberg’s billowing, “I contain multitudes” style lays bare the poet’s sadnesses, joys, and longings in poems that are lyric and narrative, plainspoken and musically elaborate.
Today we offer an excerpt from the book. To purchase Love: An Index, please visit our store.
Aubade
I woke in a gold dress,
you, in jeans.
Morning filled
wine bottles in the kitchen.
Fine mica glitter
of fish scales and salt.
Outside, it was quiet.
You said: That went well,
don’t you think?
Sun behind you
I kissed the hole in the light
and said: Yes.