Reaching

A Will

They won't ...
When will they?
Will they when?
They will then.
Then they will.

Enshrining Autumn

Like seeking firmest fruit
amongst the pithy
the bruised and unripe
I gather them-
her October words
burnished fallen blushes
strewn amongst the thyme-
and fit them safe
nodding
between waxy glassine windows.

Fishing You

The leaves clog the flow
and the creek is moving slow
red
green
orange
yellow

The words make the gesture trip
and the hand is held in hesitant
stop
go
caution
slow

Eddie where is your air
Edify
the water grows stagnant
under the jewels of Autumn.
And all the time I was fishing you.

Flutterby

Repeated recognition
faint
latent
under the din of living
fluttering.

Gentle wonder rhythm
delicate
brushing
gracing the inner
beating.

Syncopation harmony
waxing
waning
counterpoint
chrysalis.

...out of the bag

Blog a secret
and its not a secret.

Tell your wishes
and they won't come true.

Keep a promise
and you might find heaven.

Tell a lie
and the lines all skew.

Its out of the bag
it can't crawl back in...

there's mud on your belly
from the places you've been.

I'm Back

When do I get off?
Merry-go-round
doe see joe
positive feedback loop.

Thoughts like this
on reincarnation
are similar
to upc codes.
Unintelligible.
But of great importance
to someone besides me.

This time
I had it right
I thought.

This time
the path was clear
I thought.

This time
there would be peace
I thought.

This place
looks just like the clearing
in the woods
where I was lost.

This place
is that place.

I'm back.

When do I get off?
Merry-go -round
doe-see-flow
positive feedback loop.

Jack-O-Lantern

The prince is hollowed-
like a gourd.
Memories rattling
about like seeds.
The eyes seem vacant
yet dimly glows
a candle, a flicker
of need.

Who

I'm not melting
and I ain't movin' up
who I am is indian
red skin
flint-knap feeling sinew
and the rhythm within
which makes me blink
which makes me black
light skin
quarter-nappy hair
and "fight the power" within
to at last be free
so listen to me
this is who I be.

sister 3

Spirit of '76

These stripes
seem less sharp
than when I was a cork
floating
on that slow, red current...
These stars
blink less brilliant
less wise
grunting unintelligibly
bearing their loads
while I taste the air
for the next vacant herd
of swine...
Why?
because I
am American
Legion
and it is Christian Day
at Six Flags.

First appeared in "The HazMat Review," Vol. 3, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 1998

Hate to Leave

Unction

Remembered impulse-
instinctual
child-like obedience
to tilt the head
and swallow
when thunder calls.

First published in "The Oak," April 1997

Know Like I Do

Yes
Can you...?
Can I...?
Now I'm fine
and I hear love
and feel you in my
wrists...
Do you know?
I do.

Homecoming Haiku

Times up unfurled fear
a snug kind of homecoming
snuck into season

Busy Little Bees...

Moira did it.

Wrapping Paper

Breathing deeply
her shoulders heaving
my mind drifts back to fritillaries-
road-side romping
chasing painted ladies
and the victorious possession of beauty.

These days, embittered
by the fleeting nature of collections-
how they tarnish and dull with time-
the urge arises
to arrest her for poetry
and for conspiring to steal my crime.

Final Exam

The letter "f" she said
"f' is the answer
"f" like frank, like free,
like foxtrot
like feel or follow or fuck
she said
like flying a kite
without strings
without fiends
without friends
or feelings, she said
without fear
she said
"f'"

Screwdriver

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon
peel your citrus love
and pass it out in sections
one succulent mouthful
to the next...

Yeah I know this ain't no Julep
but I ain't been juiced in weeks
and the shakes got me
turning for your nectar napalm
noose.

First appeared in "The HazMat Review," Vol. 2, Issue 2, Fall/Winter 1997

sister 2