Outside the window upper Egypt glides by, tableaux of ochre plains, poetic palm oases, oars slip marsh grass while men cast plumes of nets skimming smoky water.

I drink deeper; three Neruda fish in the sky, its bottom pebbly with stars. I know not the first letter of the alphabet. There are five gutturals made at the back of the throat.

Cloudless air of pyramidal heat. El Nilo, al-Nīl. Ribbon of eau-de-Nile satin, printed with pink poppies, 'moon' motifs amid cerulean reflections. Malevolent spirits of river mystic from Moses-reed eddies. The two great heron tributaries join at Khartoum.

One of the porcelain cognate pitchers, sings when syllables are poured.