I know about the dough
in the oven. Hot and wild tempered
left a little too long on its own, I know

the shoots and bangs and whirls
the catastrophize the inner workings
of my Bosch broiler. With tiny white rings

on the brown crusted boule I know
the tilt of the rise, the slashes I placed
the claws in claws out. The timer ticks

exactly as I set it, exactly where I left it.
Intimate first with two cups of white flour,
one cup of rye. 1 tsp of instant yeast

and 1.5 tsp fine course Italian sea salt.
Cheeky then with the wooden spoon,
swirling it together, coating it with the fine lacquer

of 1.5 cups warm water. And when I let it rise
for 8-12 hours, I knew what I would find when I lifted
the cover.