Tatting A Fugue

(To Sarah)

the string ties itself
into a knot
pulling the motif
of the subject
into an exposition
of the design
looping over, under itself
gradually revealing
an answer
in the turn of the
emerging shape
down, around, through itself
yielding a counter-subject
in the transposition
of the gesture
turning, curling, circling
tying itself into an
episode of intersecting lines
feeding into the
second exposition
a cyclical variation
of mirrored gestures
in inversion
reinforcing each strand
in a tightly-wrought design
slowly fulfilling its matrix
unfolding in the fingers
before your eyes