all things bright

                                                                                                                                         


                                     The names of god       must not be erased    
                                          only words          
                                           to preserve    
                                                                    until they can be buried

          words are                       read                      like bones
                                                                        trees are bare in
             sacred                     when they                      fall
           


            all things                    must be read                  
        are of the earth                                                  
                                           paper once was              leaves                    
             sacred                        hard to find              
                                              will be again                 green
                                                                        
       and must be read                                              with care


         acknowledged                                        then the god
                                                                  that made all things

                                                         the                                tree
                                                                       and       book
                                                                             names
            all things                
                                                                   bright
                                                                               and
                                                                                        beautiful

            perfect
                                                                           

sacred objects

     The name of god                                          must not be erased
                                          is only a name          
                                            to preserve  
                                                                       until it can be buried

                               like bones
   books should be                      kissed              trees are bare in
                             sacred                     when they                       fall
                                                                                   

        Paper was once so hard to find                      will be again
                                                                                 green

                             
                                      All things are                             sacred
                                        of the earth
                                                                                 made   sacred  
                                     and must be read                      with care


                                         acknowledged                   then the god
                                       that made all things

              for                        the                               tree
                                                   and       book
                                        are                                      names

all things                                                         bright
                                                                                 and
                                                                                         beautiful

must be
                                                                                       perfect

Sirens

We've heard the sorrows
And the sufferings of men

who venture far in their wood boats
which break on little things like
rocks, and time, and promises

How beautiful they are!
Their bodies taut at oars;
on the rigging, nimble-footed
their eyes shining in the salt sun

How beautiful, with outstretched hands,
delicate-fingered, strong-grasping,
oh, beautiful,
even to us
they sing!

Good

to want
Or wait
Or wish
in the dark
To remember
Or expect
To cross the two
Want what was to will be
Wake wanting
Even when it was
Want to have wanted less
Or wanted what was
So the wish would be

F

Forensics

I'm here but how
muddy tracks
missing persons
insufficient evidence
Impressions on the bed don't match
The occupants
This life reads like a cover identity
But in too deep to call out
Maybe they'll pull me out
And I'll go home again

Edit: Aug 15 2012

I'll never read every
regret

Far away but
longing

 

names
for life until

nameless

From april 5, 2011

she'd arrive in the morning, and they'd walk to school.

they met years later in a gravel lot, and wanted something new, but couldn't ask.

cold without degrees

Can't I still play with your ball
or I'll eat mudpies
with your stupid sister
and kiss her
for spite

At the end of a day - as though those end -
it's gone, or 'behind us'
dragged by the horse of memory
and the stories come:
"lived well";
"productive";
"lesson learned";
but if not,
not.

spartan boy and fox (unfinished)

The spartan boy caught fox and hid it under clothes.
The fox, though warm, and held, and loved, and caught, brooked none of these, for he was spartan now
and so, true to his boy, clawed to freedom, tearing skin and guts.
they made the boy a hero, sung his song, for bravely bearing death
and made the fox a king, for bravely killing.
followed fox to hunts on rabbits
slept in dens
and let their fields grow high grass
abandoned words
and