Keeper of Limits © 2015 by Stephen Dunn FIRST EDITION All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dunn, Stephen, 1939– [Poems. Selections] The keeper of limits : the Mrs. Cavendish poems / Stephen Dunn. pages ; cm. — (Quarternote chapbook series; #12) eISBN 9781941411124 I. Title. PS3554.U49A6 2015 811'.54—dc23 2015004391 Cover design by Kristen Radtke. Interior layout and composition by Kirkby Gann Tittle. Manufactured in Canada. Sarabande Books is a nonprofit literary organization. The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports Sarabande Books with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. CONTENTS • Title Page• Copyright• Acknowledgments1. Rachel Becomes Mrs. Cavendish2. The Young Mrs. Cavendish3. Mrs. Cavendish’s Lament4. Mrs. Cavendish’s Politics5. Mrs. Cavendish and the Period of Mourning6. Mrs. Cavendish’s Dog7. Mrs. Cavendish and the Winter Guide8. Mrs. Cavendish and the American Dilemma9. Mrs. Cavendish and the End of Secrecy10. Mrs. Cavendish and the Dancer11. Mrs. Cavendish and the General Malaise12. Mrs. Cavendish’s Dream13. Mrs. Cavendish and the Outlaw14. Mrs. Cavendish Speaks15. Mrs. Cavendish and the Learning Curve16. Mrs. Cavendish Speaks of the Unforgivable17. Mrs. Cavendish Returns From Inner Space18. Mrs. Cavendish Comes to Terms19. Mrs. Cavendish, Hope, and Other Four-Letter Words20. Mrs. Cavendish and the Beyond21. Mrs. Cavendish and the Democracy Game22. Mrs. Cavendish and the Persistence of Desire23. Mrs. Cavendish and the Keeper of Limits24. Mrs. Cavendish Becomes the Real Thing25. Mrs. Cavendish and the Man Left Behind• The Author • Title Page
1. Rachel Becomes Mrs. Cavendish
5. Mrs. Cavendish and the Period of Mourning
6. Mrs. Cavendish’s Dog
7. Mrs. Cavendish and the Winter Guide
8. Mrs. Cavendish and the American Dilemma
9. Mrs. Cavendish and the End of Secrecy
10. Mrs. Cavendish and the Dancer
11. Mrs. Cavendish and the General Malaise
12. Mrs. Cavendish’s Dream
13. Mrs. Cavendish and the Outlaw
14. Mrs. Cavendish Speaks
15. Mrs. Cavendish and the Learning Curve
16. Mrs. Cavendish Speaks of the Unforgivable
17. Mrs. Cavendish Returns From Inner Space
18. Mrs. Cavendish Comes to Terms
19. Mrs. Cavendish, Hope, and Other Four-Letter Words
20. Mrs. Cavendish and the Beyond
21. Mrs. Cavendish and the Democracy Game
22. Mrs. Cavendish and the Persistence of Desire
23. Mrs. Cavendish and the Keeper of Limits
24. Mrs. Cavendish Becomes the Real Thing
25. Mrs. Cavendish and the Man Left Behind
• The Author
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Acknowledgments Five Points: “Mrs. Cavendish and the American Dilemma,” “Mrs. Cavendish and the End of Secrecy,” “Mrs. Cavendish and the General Malaise,” “Mrs. Cavendish and the Dancer,” and “Mrs. Cavendish and the Learning Curve” The Georgia Review: “Rachel Becomes Mrs. Cavendish,” “The Young Mrs. Cavendish,” “Mrs. Cavendish’s Politics,” “Mrs. Cavendish Speaks,” “Mrs. Cavendish and the Democracy Game,” and “Mrs. Cavendish Becomes the Real Thing” Harper’s: “Mrs. Cavendish and the General Malaise” (chose from Five Points) Plume: “Mrs. Cavendish, Hope, and Other Four Letter Words” Rachel Becomes Mrs. Cavendish She moved into his name willingly, for reasons phonetically
