Jason Stumpf

Analog

The needle and crystal are closing in,
aria and aftermath: —a delicate hand.
Low crackle; black disc spinning slant,
hi-fi— His master’s voice.

Aria and aftermath: —a delicate hand
waits for the repeat-to-fade.
Hi-fi— His master’s voice.
A moment passes over,

then waits for the repeat-to-fade.
The needle jumps its groove.
A moment passes over.
Hiss breathes sinister.

The needle jumps its groove.
History falls patterns.
Hiss breathes sinister.
Age of vinyl. Age of wax:

history falls in patterns:
the peak and the pin drop,
age of vinyl, age of wax,
pickup to pedal tone,

the peak to the pin drop.
Lights on the tuner, stereo heat.
Pickup to pedal tone—
the movement drawn to its end.

Lights on the tuner, stereo heat.
The needle and crystal are closing in,
the movement drawn to its end.
Low crackle; black disc spinning slant.

Jason is an associate editor at Delmar, and an MFA student at Washington University in St. Louis.