Christ's Mass

He is the tar black shadow roiling in pitch darkness
He is coming, silently the serpent coiling toward us
He is squealing warning trills to Sinning Peoples
He is the newborn screaming through wrinkled red lips
He is exalted, He is exalted
and who were we to say?

who brought Him here, to what end?
what were we to do?

worship, worship, worship
holy of holies
King of King of Kings
like Solomon
or Herod

He approaches pacing pad-like all around us
He waits for tender flesh His saber teeth may slash
He watches cold and heartless with a glinting eye
He is the newborn retching into manger scenes
He is exalted, He is exalted
and who were we to know?

all Men are made of water
so let us pray to Women instead
for they are tree bark strong and iron fast

42.

I want to tell you
all the things I know
I especially want to tell you
all the things I don't
want to tell you
those are the things
I want to tell you the most

Winter Song

I have given you a flower that only blooms in winter
it thrives in layered frost, fairies skating on its spreading petals
little rinks like engagement rings
it sleeps in summer, waiting for the chill
of December to coax it into life
and remind it of the miraculous cold
the ice, the ice
the wind
the breath of vigor in the early months
when the world is waking up
again

keep it safe
for it is yours
and only yours now
and it is fragile

I traced myself into its stem
so do not cut the thorns
this flower, with its dusky hues and frozen dew,
is my rib, my wrist, my right hand
my quiet parts that rise up in the velvet dark of winter
the velvet quietness
of the first merciful freeze of January
the freeze, the frozen place
inside my palm
and it will bloom in yours
but only yours

keep it safe
for it is yours
and only yours now

and it is fragile

Moon Song

I promised
I would be your
moon.
(not stars,
not sun)

I will be Her
light
for you.

I will find
(your)
darkness,
make it glow

(a pale blue love)

I will be
round
for you,
bigger than your fears
I will be
everywhere
you are

silent and fresh air

guiding
cool and never
bright
but quiet
I will
illuminate
your steps

I will
stroke you(r
hair)
with moonbeam fingers

I will be
everything
you
thought
you would never


find

on


Earth

Jack and Sally

where you can always find us
curled together in a yellowed sofa
breathing
and I hope this night will never end
this start of something flowering and soft
living in patchwork clothes from dawn to midnight
sewing up our smiles
building new things together
you’re dusk in winter months
and your backbones underneath
my hands feel cold and inviting
like frosted berries
branches chilled bare
smoothed with ice and sleeping
I will wait for you
and hope this never ends
and hope this never ends

The Faerie Queen

whatever it may be
my little apple tree
I will carry it for you
with broken hands
but hands still
I don’t know how you found it
my dark blue echo voice
my call into the quiet
but you touched my throat
and pulled forth from it a swallow song
you’ve written poems on my skin
and for that
I’ll color you dusky violet
sing you baritone and rich
trace you delicate along your outline
and weep you into life
as best I can
for you, my sweet, for you
are all the bests of me
I’ll bring to you the tree we found
with blossoms hanging heavy
thick in air of pear-sweet honey
humming softly free
my faerie queen
for you.

Sunday Morning Glories

bring me Sunday morning glories
hymnal books of cracking leather
softer black and golden

you knew me, yes
my raven love
you broke me in
now I have found my wings

it’s not much,
it’s not much

here, hold my Sunday flowers
while I step aside with her
there are things to say, to say

I have thumbed through dirt floors
trading fingerprints for puzzle pieces
misplaced years ago
all in vain

here, take what’s left
I’m left here robbed of mislaid parts
forgotten where I left them

I’m not much,
I’m not much

stick myself to you with Sunday school glue
you give me all the answers
Jesus, God, and Bible verses

mister preacher, may I be excused
I must linger in the back with blushing lips
may I press my lips on hers
and blush

she’s too much,
she’s too much

now let us pray
you caught me there, sweet thing
I saw your eyelids snap

this was all a dream, I fear
here, take these folded paper hearts
I wrote my name inside them here and there
it’s short, but pretty

pretty dresses, bows in back
crossing fingers behind pews and telling secrets
share this song with me

so much is missing,
so much is missing