“Salutations”
mist has lifted
the pale winged ocean birds
silent (distant)
clang! clang!
shore bells heavy
in the thick air
sparrow of my heart
–break through
the shell of light
make again
the chatter
& carefree song
one raindrop
~~~two crickets
a pond full of frogs!
———————-
dipstick dry–owl anxious
summer turns with claps
of thunder–
(as if roof still leaking–)
cold & fresh in the morning–
an extra blanket–ah, so soon!
—————————
summer turns
with great claps of thunder
an extra blanket–ah, so soon
—————————
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~7-23-01
through the night
the quiet river runs
slipping along in its bed
taking the mountain with it
little by little–
in slow times a bit of dirt
from here to there downstream
released from sandbars &
mudflats printed by birds coming to drink
the bears for easy fish squeezed
from smaller & smaller sun-warmed
stagnant scummy pools….
meadows crinkle~~~the air sparks
a whiff of smoke~~~armpits prickle
leaping flames roar down the valley
up the valley, over the ridge,
smoke & clouds, who can tell?
helicopters churning out news, slurry,
combat troops–the wind toys with it all–
roars up the heat, chases one way &another,
blows in wet clouds or dry, lightning spears–
one day, a scatter of drops–classic splash
patters in the dust–m0ore days, more drips
the land waiting to bbreathe & still the fires
out of hand until THE DELUGE!
swept away–no choices–flame
& dust & fence, trailer & barn, garden, bank & outhouse
–all deposited near & far along the new banks & curves
the sun coming up
the dawn singers one by one louder
& more brilliant & ecstatic
the air brilliant & clear,
*& more brilliant & clear
with each note, fuller, fuller–
shatters into a trillion trillion bits,
the kind of light bursts
you ooh & aah at 4th of July
fireworks & this time
they lst forever & we gpo on
oohing & aaaahing
& the shivers of light
sparkle down into our
hair & skin & soak
the bone & muscle sinking
into the very marrow
here we are
full of fireworks–ready
at any moment
to burst out & change
the core ground of being
it only takes
a firefly — or a certain note
of a certain bird–a poem
or a shape remembered
one particle in ehe nose,
on the tongue, one word spoken
that way–one drop…
into the river–where it all goes, sooner
or later–runs down tpo the core
the hot star we all carry,
knowing or not our bit of punk
always smoldering, always waiting
the quiet river runs in through my ears,
the smell, dark, of wet grass
———————————–
grapefruit moon
golden-rimmed
sun rising ruby red
Katmandu rooftop
red amaryllis–
all the Himalayas!
————————–
down from the mountains
down from the hills
down down the rain
streaks & spots–cool, wet
shoulders arms tip tip thup
splatshplattersplash
all over my hat all
over my empty head my
thirsty eyes, nose–
stick out my tongue–
ah, the taste of snow!
———————
sounds come
images words
through the
hollow bone
my voice
my breath the wind
opens its soul
to hear my song
my poems
are carried by wind–
are wind
————————-
in the pet store,
his bird-patterned shirt
–they all turn to look
————————
across the highway
just over the cars–
yellow butterfly
————————
translator’s secret:
not knowing the language
cheeky bird chutzpah
————————
Summer Music
~~~~~”Don’t say bad things
~~~~~you’ll wake my mother…”
Pojaque–fire-house,
smooth green lawn
–a big, new horno
10 A.M. Camel Rock
casino parking lot
already full
cars glitter in
the morning sun–
fancy modern house,
big new horno
in the smooth green lawn
————————-
set like a mountain by Matisse
or Cezanne, each branch/ line each space
between lines
& containing lines–
~~~~~(some back, some forward,
some tipped from one
to another)
& when I move the silence
moves with me
in discrete hops
like a jumping spider–too fast
for my eye to catch
the in between
–but connected nevertheless
& fluid one frame to the next
in time….
despite the pleasure
sudden gift a new world
complete (brittle)
I let it go slowly
& not just forgetting
but something else: by not holding
by choosing/ allowing–by
speaking gently
in myself
in silence
murmuring
~~~~~not to try
~~~~~not to make it something
~~~~~smaller
but just to bend down
~~~~~~~~~~~& pick up my pack
~~~leaning into the mottled trunk
to rise up & walk (out)
in the pines through the pines
perfectly still
now–as always
~~so loud! these crickets
–when did they start
~~~~to sing?:
——————–5-9-01
where is my mind going?
time & thought down
the same river–the same
“““`drain?
Why? do I keep asking
each question–the muskrat
swims up—swims
down
quick! before the day goes!
nose & lungs, skin pupils
the retina exploding like
popcorn–miles & miles of
tongue & nasal membrane
twists tunnels & leaps
““`through honeycomb bone
the drum of sinus
echo-chamber of beaten sound
out! out! stumble
& puish past–one turn–the wild air
rushing in–the plunge
deep breath–aaahh! fill
the lungs
one long sniff brings in
plum & pear & apple blossoms
rain-drenched dirt & leaves
warm pine–fat dandelions
pack the sinuses though–
so green! the wild grass
each leaf bends just a little
with the breeze
quiet…just quiet
pine…air…distance–quietness
in all/ everywhere
without mind
without time–
more quiet?
(–who knows!)
who wants to listen
to a speechless old woman struck dumb,
by silence?
like a shadow falling on all sides
–there it is! light!
(following at my heels
———————6-6-01
If I had to name it, give it a name
to call out in the night
…what would it be?
““““““““““““““`–“watch out!”
stop! wait! the tune
goes branching off–comes back
(still breath still roots)
upside down–I’m going out
into the orchard!
—————————[clipped to end of above]
golden yellow
bees take turns
in a blue bowl–one flower
scarlet passion flower
to reach its nectar heart
shed your dusty garments
close your eyes
& plunge
PASSIFLORA: “Aspiration to
become an instrument
for the Divine Work” (p.193)
passion flower
only for the hummingbird
such deep scarlet
in a split second
the morning glories
…open
close sisters:
wild blue flax
eyes of the morning
& scarlet flax
blazing in the sun all day
forget your roots–let go–
swept along like birds
in the wind–
the whole morning gone!
& what to show? a handful
of little poems
—————-6-27-01
[all of the group just above are
on one page in many directions,
the last stanza here stapled to
the left margin sideways]
=========================
overview
1. email crickets
2. for the rain to come
3. down from the mountains/ adventures
4. parade/ bird walks
5. Pay attention!
6. Be Present
7. hydrate
8. fall/ bump head/ bloody
—————————