If your bards are to be believed
the weight you wedge in my heart is your beat
the coming train dissolved in sound, your blood
the lake, its insisting breakers, your birth
and the mattressed graves of enemies and friends, your bed.
You may only break my heart
if then the bards will sing me with you,
dying but acting natural.
Aug 10, 2010
A November Spring
We were foreigners
you could tell
our bodies much too eager
and our whoops much too soon
for the season.
The others, the citizens,
snuggled into the sand
as if they'd been there all winter
and had only now been uncovered.
The water was too cold
it tried to tell us not yet
But we did not have time to wait
we'd be home soon, land locked
So we let our limbs lose blood
and let the waves toss them
as if this is how limbs naturally moved,
by a sudden treaty of coercion and concession.
We forgot that drowning was deadly
and could only think, this is how life is naturally ventured.
Aug 10, 2010
you could tell
our bodies much too eager
and our whoops much too soon
for the season.
The others, the citizens,
snuggled into the sand
as if they'd been there all winter
and had only now been uncovered.
The water was too cold
it tried to tell us not yet
But we did not have time to wait
we'd be home soon, land locked
So we let our limbs lose blood
and let the waves toss them
as if this is how limbs naturally moved,
by a sudden treaty of coercion and concession.
We forgot that drowning was deadly
and could only think, this is how life is naturally ventured.
Aug 10, 2010
Trying to Mean. Trying to Skate.
I can't tell you about the skateboard
about the childhood
I tried but. It came out as
a lie. a try.
"Please stop trying
to say more than you mean."
I tell my mouth.
But you are listening
I'm not sure if you hear silence
as I do. truth. truth. truth.
Intimately.
I'd like this not to take long.
so long. There are things
I want to know. to share.
But they won't last forever
they will grow up and fly.
Their magic left in my heart only.
Aug 6, 2010
about the childhood
I tried but. It came out as
a lie. a try.
"Please stop trying
to say more than you mean."
I tell my mouth.
But you are listening
I'm not sure if you hear silence
as I do. truth. truth. truth.
Intimately.
I'd like this not to take long.
so long. There are things
I want to know. to share.
But they won't last forever
they will grow up and fly.
Their magic left in my heart only.
Aug 6, 2010
The New Mao
Today, Mao was driving a car,
an American or maybe even Japanese,
but he wasn't who he was
he wasn't anybody
special or terrible.
He lived here. In the nice,
if old, apartments with garages.
He wasn't any more
harmful than other old men
who are only going to die
or who pull a car out of the garage.
He was no longer
special.
And those students. Those
young ones. They never heard
of him.
They never asked him for their lives
and the freedom it takes to live.
They never knew him.
But they didn't know
what's worth living until the last minute for
either.
Maybe that's not important when
they've got plenty to live long for.
But in that old past,
they lived so well, if shortly.
Aug 10, 2010
an American or maybe even Japanese,
but he wasn't who he was
he wasn't anybody
special or terrible.
He lived here. In the nice,
if old, apartments with garages.
He wasn't any more
harmful than other old men
who are only going to die
or who pull a car out of the garage.
He was no longer
special.
And those students. Those
young ones. They never heard
of him.
They never asked him for their lives
and the freedom it takes to live.
They never knew him.
But they didn't know
what's worth living until the last minute for
either.
Maybe that's not important when
they've got plenty to live long for.
But in that old past,
they lived so well, if shortly.
Aug 10, 2010
Woman
Of course he makes you feel like a woman,
but when you wake in the morning
there's something more you'd like to feel,
like a mindless animal meditating on a dirt path
like a car window empty and open for wind
like a slab of sunlight leaning on a brick wall in an alley.
These things are worth feeling like, too.
Aug 14, 2010
but when you wake in the morning
there's something more you'd like to feel,
like a mindless animal meditating on a dirt path
like a car window empty and open for wind
like a slab of sunlight leaning on a brick wall in an alley.
These things are worth feeling like, too.
Aug 14, 2010
A Fore-casted Storm
I am waiting for a thunderstorm
fore-casted for twelve a.m.,
but now not until one.
It will last until sunrise,
only then amounting to drizzle
thin enough for the day's colour
to cast itself against our heads.
And what am I expecting?
To pray easier than I do in the daylight
where there's no resistance to casting lines
as if in a clear pool where you can
see your catch at all times?
Is there something in the dark and rain
the thunder crumble
lightning rent?
Is there something in the terror and attraction?
The magnet of losing my mustard seed
in the luster of a storm?
Aug 2, 2010
fore-casted for twelve a.m.,
but now not until one.
It will last until sunrise,
only then amounting to drizzle
thin enough for the day's colour
to cast itself against our heads.
And what am I expecting?
To pray easier than I do in the daylight
where there's no resistance to casting lines
as if in a clear pool where you can
see your catch at all times?
Is there something in the dark and rain
the thunder crumble
lightning rent?
Is there something in the terror and attraction?
The magnet of losing my mustard seed
in the luster of a storm?
Aug 2, 2010
Passers-by
The good-smelling men
an the good-smelling girls go by
wiping out the over-ripe alleys
leaving them behind,
and behind them
thoughts of other good-smelling men
and good-smelling girls
who wiped out your over-ripe confidence
when they lingered instead of passing by.
July 31, 2010
an the good-smelling girls go by
wiping out the over-ripe alleys
leaving them behind,
and behind them
thoughts of other good-smelling men
and good-smelling girls
who wiped out your over-ripe confidence
when they lingered instead of passing by.
July 31, 2010
I'd Like To Carry On Without You
City, you are always
hiding the dark of the sky from me.
I'd like to carry on without your lights.
You require a bag on my shoulders
to keep me moving, moveable.
I'd like to carry on bare, without it.
City, you put yourself into syllables
I'm supposed to fill in the crosswords
with words I don't recognize.
I'd rather not read another sentence
I'd like to carry on without you.
City, you say stand up
give me your perpendicular feet
they ache, register nothing
I'd like to carry on without them.
Back to the clover eyes only up
and not sweeping their corners
for what I wouldn't expect.
July 30, 2010
hiding the dark of the sky from me.
I'd like to carry on without your lights.
You require a bag on my shoulders
to keep me moving, moveable.
I'd like to carry on bare, without it.
City, you put yourself into syllables
I'm supposed to fill in the crosswords
with words I don't recognize.
I'd rather not read another sentence
I'd like to carry on without you.
City, you say stand up
give me your perpendicular feet
they ache, register nothing
I'd like to carry on without them.
Back to the clover eyes only up
and not sweeping their corners
for what I wouldn't expect.
July 30, 2010
The Usual and Occasional Airplane
The usual airplane
slides straight towards the east
straight over head in two dimensions
On occasion, I don't know the specifics,
one turns
its pilot leans into the angle
its passengers lean into their windows
stunned that the earth is still
there below, as all along.
The people looking up
find their breath leaving
with a new intention
to never return.
July 30, 2010
slides straight towards the east
straight over head in two dimensions
On occasion, I don't know the specifics,
one turns
its pilot leans into the angle
its passengers lean into their windows
stunned that the earth is still
there below, as all along.
The people looking up
find their breath leaving
with a new intention
to never return.
July 30, 2010
Glow-White and Tan
A woman of little luxuries
tiny burns scar up into shiny designs
A little casket of minced herbs
forgets her nightmares or
how it's been
since she remembered one.
A baby penknife and a runny pen
make skin into deep, fleshed over reminders
Woman of little creativities
adding curly suffixes to curses
adding children's jewelry to her her collarbone
at once specked glow-white and tan.
June 22, 2010
tiny burns scar up into shiny designs
A little casket of minced herbs
forgets her nightmares or
how it's been
since she remembered one.
A baby penknife and a runny pen
make skin into deep, fleshed over reminders
Woman of little creativities
adding curly suffixes to curses
adding children's jewelry to her her collarbone
at once specked glow-white and tan.
June 22, 2010
For the Time Being
For the time when
the tongue is sewn
tight by some mad surgeon
for when
the fingers break
instead of bend in response
for when
the beauty or goodness
or truth in heart
tries to sound dishonest,
decayed, or not at all
in the hearts it approaches.
For the time being
I will not regret
these shames,
but add their intentions
to the time
when the image of God
succeeds in itself.
july 30, 2010
the tongue is sewn
tight by some mad surgeon
for when
the fingers break
instead of bend in response
for when
the beauty or goodness
or truth in heart
tries to sound dishonest,
decayed, or not at all
in the hearts it approaches.
For the time being
I will not regret
these shames,
but add their intentions
to the time
when the image of God
succeeds in itself.
july 30, 2010
Up Under the Eaves
Up under the eaves
time re-convenes
from the corners
it has explored
in high disguise
as minutes and hours.
Lately they hum
in passing.
But here in the attic
the windows and walls
thicken with now
muscles softer
than plaster, but firm
hold up the night
breathing evenly, counting
in cicada tides.
july 23, 2010
time re-convenes
from the corners
it has explored
in high disguise
as minutes and hours.
Lately they hum
in passing.
But here in the attic
the windows and walls
thicken with now
muscles softer
than plaster, but firm
hold up the night
breathing evenly, counting
in cicada tides.
july 23, 2010
Out in the Rain
It doesn't rain often
we should get caught
the net of colour and light
presses Doing to the ground
there it scrapes
in the gravel for what we Are.
July 20, 2010
we should get caught
the net of colour and light
presses Doing to the ground
there it scrapes
in the gravel for what we Are.
July 20, 2010
Shaky
Shaky from crossing so many bridges
and never leaping,
from wearing so many days in shoes
and never forgetting
them in the grass somewhere in a shadow.
Shaky from love never said, not knowing
where I begin and anything,
anyone else ends.
Shaky from never asking
my sister why we're so honest but incoherent.
Shaky from that song that seemed
to climb up my legs pulling me,
wanting me to breathe underwater again.
Shaky from a pen that slides
past words and mis-spells it all
coding my love in nonsense.
Shaky from the reflection of birds below,
making me believe
a moment that I wasn't dreaming.
Shaky from the small weight
of my heart between my shoulders tumbling.
july 3, 2010
and never leaping,
from wearing so many days in shoes
and never forgetting
them in the grass somewhere in a shadow.
Shaky from love never said, not knowing
where I begin and anything,
anyone else ends.
Shaky from never asking
my sister why we're so honest but incoherent.
Shaky from that song that seemed
to climb up my legs pulling me,
wanting me to breathe underwater again.
Shaky from a pen that slides
past words and mis-spells it all
coding my love in nonsense.
Shaky from the reflection of birds below,
making me believe
a moment that I wasn't dreaming.
Shaky from the small weight
of my heart between my shoulders tumbling.
july 3, 2010
Dimensions
Time is gone
long since but
we love it so, we
count its leaves
its sheaves its
stacks bound
in twine, the old
fashioned detail
binds its weight
together. Much
too heavy for any
of us now
to pick up
and take with us.
july 15, 2010
long since but
we love it so, we
count its leaves
its sheaves its
stacks bound
in twine, the old
fashioned detail
binds its weight
together. Much
too heavy for any
of us now
to pick up
and take with us.
july 15, 2010
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