What no one knows exactly is the quantity of sun
          that fits inside a bedroom. How the leaded glass

creates partitions in the sky. Living here,
          on Earth, is not unlike an apprenticeship.

You explore the proportions of positive & negative
          space. You discover how your eyes move upward,

along vertical lines of paneling, to a clerestory
          window. Perhaps an obstacle is necessary—

a way to divide what the heart wants from
          what the mind believes is possible. Everything,

if you’re doing it right, is inspiration for a blueprint.
          How tree limbs divide & divide, forming little fractals

in the atmosphere. Topography is a kind of wisdom, really.
          The natural elevations. The sheer facade of cliffs.

Everything should appear to be attainable, only
          just behind a corner. In front of your dream could be

a balcony to nowhere. In front of the carport:
          prison bars, rising from the ground. Take a bay window

& place it between you & your wife. This way,
          an illusion of intimacy is maintained. If it seems like

there are too many obstacles, remember that
          the home is like a body. In the middle of everything

treacherous, build a hearth that surges up to space.
          The material for this should be indestructible, harder

than hard. The type of masonry that breathes
          heat, even in the winter. Not everyone can afford

the kind of buildings I create, but every home
          can still be built into a river.