Tag: poetry

  • 自然

    there is only this —

    i grasp for words,
    those gnats dancing
    on the quiet morning
    between the perfume
    of uncut grass, clover:
    impossible to catch
    or wave away

    — a stillness, the only
    act remaining

    i let the gnats do
    what gnats will do
    leave the catching
    to those who are
    prone to catching,
    whiling my time in
    the weald

    Note: 自然, or ziran (tzu-jan), is a Chinese word for the Taoism concept that refers to a state of “just-so-ness” or “as-it-is-ness”.

  • scuff toe waltz

    we pad toe shuffle
    we scuff shoe waltz
    wet cobbles of night
    hush now shush
    be quiet or those
    cats’ sharp claws
    will rend, bite

    thieves are we
    of scuff shoe waltz
    slick in wet cobbles
    toe shuffle toe
    toe shuffle we

  • m.o.o.n.

    how is it theft
    when someone
    gives another,
    of their own
    free will,
    the moon?

  • wounds

    quit telling me of wounds, but
    show me the blood and pus
    pouring out of each puckered ulcer
    peppered across your war-ravaged flesh

    for it is then
    we can speak of poetry

  • hollow of tree

    i was hollow of tree
    all chicken wire & song
    come that october country
    of hoarfrost & dream

    rime burnt leaves stained
    gold to vermilion & bole
    crumble wake perfumed
    i waited there alone for
    that coming of you

    rook & madder
    flint & score
    crow & calling
    bone & fall

    i was hollow of tree
    all chicken wire & song
    waiting mists alone for
    that coming of you

  • throwing hands

    why write poetry at all
    when there is the wind
    that carries 'hallo hallo'
    of the crow, high up in
    the cottonwood tree, to me?

    i throw both hands away
    and reply with the same

  • toad shit

    cleaning toad shit
    off the front stoop
    under the threat
    of rain;
    a reflection of my
    over-polished mirror

  • drag thorn

    drag thorn,
    too weary now
    to pray

    night drips
    cinnabar
    to stopdead

  • rain under glass

    sometimes we are all storm
    with clouds iron heavy the sky and
    weighty chains to rattle drag
    a train flowing heart at behind

    dress sensible, station shoes, silk:
    a dream found you waiting
    but we found you gone ahead
    on and to without

    with rain under glass —
    left a crumbled platform
    stormcloud in wanting

  • waters unswept by wind

    i fell drunk from the wagon
    in thrall of a stained glass you
    piercing flint storms calling
    winter back into view

    you should know, the fall
    left me thorned flesh
    for years now, i have been
    prying septic wood at teeth

    of all the beautiful goodbyes,
    yours left waters unswept
             by wind