Oceans

Afloat on seas of seeming serenity
suspended in aquamarine
fluid emerald
liquid jade
oceans, Kelley green.

Euphoric indulgence
lying still
with motion comes
the spin
sensual avarice
brings destruction
yet I long to drink
you in.

A taste and parching bitter
as swallowing mercury
aged vinegar
rancid wine
oceans, Kelley green.

Meme

To a Child, on the Environment

We are humans.
There will always be
a greater tree than we.

Made Me Think

An unguarded utterance made me think...
made me think of the misery of bunk beds...
childhood, summer camp, military
all lost innocence.

Made me think of the dullness of knives,
of bandages, of blood and the stupor all cause
...and the loss of innocence.

Made me think of medics and mercy
menstruation and mean brothers
meditations on menarche and murder
modernity
maternity
masculinity
myopia
my
innocence.

Black-eyed Susan

She stares away
and smiles
crooked
when the wind blows
laughing at the sun
and running
she's running
running after dandelion snow.

Through the meadow
where the sweet spring spills
down to the sluice
and the old grist mill
beneath the curtains
of the gnarled and wispy willow...

Hand-me-down slipping
over sun-skin-beams
daintily dipping
in the rising stream
Eve is dripping
yet she doesn't let the chill show.

I stay away
and day-dream
drowsy
until the wind blows
dancing with the leaves
and waiting
I'm waiting
waiting for the drifts to grow.

Barefoot breathless
where the willows lean
falling fences
and the river between
swiftly carried
to the edge of the leaping waterflow.

Cashmere clouds
hanging in the air
swirling strands
of angel hair...
Black-eyed Susan
never let your petals go.

Jealous Gringo