Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Contents -- I. THE SMALLEST MAN CARRIES THE CANDLE -- IF SILENCE IS ANY INDICATION -- NOVEMBER CONSOLATION -- THE SMALLEST MAN CARRIES THE CANDLE -- YOU CANNOT LOVE THE WIND -- REPORT FROM THE COMPOUND -- A MOTHER'S TEN-SECOND HISTORY LESSON -- VERONA AS THE PAST -- AFTER THE FEAST -- MONK KILLED BY TRACTOR IN BID TO DODGE POLICE -- PAGAN LITANY -- II. CONFESSIONS OF THE NATURAL WORLD -- WAITING FOR TASSOS -- PRIMER IN BLACK -- REPORT FROM MY OWN BACKYARD -- LANDSCAPE WITH A VERY FAT MAN, SEATED -- THE MOMENT: STONE FISH -- CONFESSIONS OF THE NATURAL WORLD -- BEETLE -- STORM COMING TO TORCELLO -- DOGS AT THE TEMPLE OF THE OLYMPIAN ZEUS -- LITANY OF RESISTANCE -- WHAT THEY HAD COME FOR -- III. METAPHOR AS PRAYER -- METAPHOR AS PRAYER -- REPORT FROM THE AFTERMATH -- THE HEART IS -- ELEGY FOR MY NOVEL -- FEAST -- THEORY OF AN IMPERSONAL GOD -- TIGERS -- EVENING -- LAST DAYS -- NIGHT IN VENICE: SUMMER.