Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for February, 2016

Two for Warmth

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on February 29, 2016| 1 Comment »

 

 

 

the long bloom of my body

the long bloom of your body—

all night rearranging our stems

 

*

 

wondering why

the candle doesn’t give light—

never offering it flame

Read Full Post »

Two Invitations to Go Very Slow

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on February 27, 2016| 2 Comments »

 

 

 

 

blue heron

in the tree top—

this quickening heart

 

*

 

I draw for myself

a new starting line—

on your open palm

Read Full Post »

Two Persistences

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on February 27, 2016| 3 Comments »

 

 

 

all day

tugging on my sleeve—

this kiss

 

*

 

that inner monologue—

letting it sing

till it loses its voice

 

Read Full Post »

At First It Seemed Like a Problem

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on February 25, 2016| 3 Comments »

 

 

 

It was so lovely, the home

I built in the arroyo,

such smooth golden plaster

I worked with my hands,

such luster in the wood.

I had been told, of course,

about the chance of flood. Perhaps

some part of me felt relief

when the current finally came—

first a hum, then a roar,

then the splintering din,

and then only vehement rush.

What does the soul want, really,

but to join with the wild flood?

Regret can only tread for so long;

this now is what life wants.

An uprooted tree, a hand carved beam—

both serve as well for a float.

Now whatever the water says,

that is where I go.

 

Read Full Post »

Four Inconsistencies

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on February 24, 2016| 3 Comments »

 

 

 

this melancholy,

today it too seems

rose-hued

 

*

 

the bell in pieces—

learning to love

silence

 

*

 

at the same time

the seed reaches toward darkness

toward light

 

*

 

I throw my hunger

into the river, then, too alone,

jump in after it

 

Read Full Post »

Almost Sad in their Fantastic Costumes

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on February 23, 2016| 1 Comment »

 

 

Votre âme est un paysage choisi / Que vont charmant masques et bergamasques / Jouant du luth et dansant et quasi / Tristes sous leurs déguisements fantasques.

            —Paul Verlaine, “Claire de Lune”

 

 

I hate the way my fingers stumble

through the prelude—in my ear,

it is beautiful, the phrases open

and flowing, and I hum sincerely, as if

with song I could make my hands

more nimble. There are fields,

golden, inside the arpeggios,

and they part as if the wind has blown

a place for a path, and then

a thousand thousand birds

take flight just before night—

or at least that is what I

want to hear. But I am clumsy,

an oxen trampling in the field

who trips in every irrigation ditch.

 

I have read that by the time

the suite was published, Debussy

hated the sound of it, deplored

his earlier style. I try to imagine him

here in the living room, his thin moustache,

his thick black bangs, oh how

he would cringe, revile my lack

of sensitivity. And how I would hate

to disappoint him. Both of us

miserable, both of us abhorring

what we hear—I would stop playing,

I would, and walk over to him

as he scoffed, and I would say,

 

Look, look Claude,

how the moon is full, so large there

on the horizon. And we’d step

out onto the porch.

There would be no birds,

no wind to part the field,

and he would slip his hand

toward the moon, and say,

There, there, that is what I was trying to say.

And I would let my empty hands

play.

Read Full Post »

One Inexplicable

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on February 22, 2016| 4 Comments »

 

 

 

midwinter storm

and between white drifts

this rose slowly opening

Read Full Post »

Three Transpositions

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on February 21, 2016| 1 Comment »

 

 

 

 

is it one small child

or the whole world

I cradle

 

*

 

this longing

to bring you a small bouquet

of possibilities

 

*

 

my limbs a clef,

I circle the changing

song of you

 

Read Full Post »

Two Messages

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on February 20, 2016| 3 Comments »

 

 

 

after many months

the scent of rain—

a letter from home

 

 

*

 

I would be divine

said the poem, if you would

just get out of the way

Read Full Post »

Because

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on February 18, 2016| 1 Comment »

 

 

Because the world is round, it turns me on.

            —The Beatles, “Because”

 

 

impossibly lissome

the clouds this dawn

long drawn and wind-spun and pink—

all morning making love

to their memory

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »