Yule

white blanket

huddle curl hide

light shorten dark stretch

reach cold freeze the sun herself

as fridge fingers grasp

so winter rules

make water glass

make cold soft dust

make breath white must

as darkness length

until….

yule….

an old magic rebirth

stir yawn turn

shorten night light stretch

humble cold thaw the sun herself

as fire finger caress

so warm rise

free water glass

promise warm soft spring

free breath thaw rust

as lightness length

until….

fall again….

Frame Grace

as ashes are ashes

this dust is dust….

each grain falls

each hourglass frame

each measure a fullness

until none remain

trickle tumble tremble time

each frame to finish

this life as pulse

a numbered beat

until enough….

to ashes from ashes

be dust to dust….

i grain fall

i hourglass frame

i measure once fullness

until none remains

fickle flicker flame fine

as frame to finish

i live as pulse

i numbered beat

until enough….

pray grace all ashes

dance full all dust….

Carry Out

 

just another work day

like yesterday

as again we

start from the top down

floor by floor

clearing until clean

because thats our job

to carry out

we carry out

our orders

carry out

make clean….

 

just another bedroom

like yesterday

as again we

stuff the clothes in bags

drawer by drawer

empty until clean

because thats why they pay

to carry out

we carry out

each leaving

carry out

make clean….

 

just another building

like yesterday

as again we

board each window shut

pane by pane

shutter until dark

because thats a paying gig

to nail shut

we nail shut

our neighbors

nail shut

make dark….

 

tomorrow

another board up

another trash out

another clean out

another dream down

each day

another block closer

each day

another block darker

it aint so bad

getting older

if this is what you leave

one block

after another block

quiet

dark

bleak

day up

day down

carry out

dead dreams….

to whom it may concern:

how does it feel to be breathin for one of those moments that make history books? just askin. because this today brought us one of those moments. i remember the first time i heard barack obama speak. i remember thinking then:

could it be?

the sad part comes next. even as events proceeded even as the rest of the country heard the name and started to learn about the human being i kept thinking:

could it be?

the sadder part still is that right up to a few hours ago i was still thinking:

could it really be?

understand something about me. i dont need more outta this life than i am already blessed with. i am well loved. i have a roof over my head. i have enough stuff. i do not go hungry. my family is healthy. my child happy and safe. sure we have to watch our pennies but the fact is that the choices that face me and mine today are a whole hell of a lot better than the choices that face a vast majority of the human beings i share this planet with. it is easy for me to forget that fact. it is easy for me to confuse want with need. it is easy for me to think me without ever thinking we. so. i will say this out loud right here right now:

the fact that barack obama is the first african american president of the united states today is a wonderful footnote to history. yes. i said a wonderful footnote. because i sincerely hope that this accomplishment is the least of what is recorded in history books for future generations to read and learn from. yes. i said the least. because the hope i never put down is this:

"i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states and to the republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all."

all means all. today above the obvious celebration i heard what i have been waiting to hear. i hope my people have heard it as well:a call to service. this republic aint mine. its ours. sure. we face challenges. but our people have before. what we do now is up to us. me? i will lend my hand as other hands have been lent to me and together:

i know we can do anything.

the moment

from somewhere
sing within….

a long summer
afternoon
wide blue sky
bright yellow sun
child flat
on back
eyes up
drawing cloud
imagine
dragon
cotton candy
myth
so long ago
right there
forever
now
so long ago….

a deep dark
midnight
glint star sky
white tallow moon
pulse drum
lips touch
eyes shut
drawing sound
exhale
satin sustenance
caress
remember then
right here
forever
now
our long ago….

this somewhere
every moment….

Light Show

cold crescent
sliver
slight bright
thinner
moon treat
silver
bauble hung
spin
to wax
to wane
to disappear
refrain
from full
to empty
a light show
tumble
nightly
across open sky
through gaps
in clouds
some things
change
so slowly
a firefly
nature
never learns
flare burn
gone
brilliant….

White Humble….

white muffle these eyes:

fine crystal
cold white
goose down
dust
numberless
falling
quiet
muffle
tire turn
confound
headlight quest
slow
inevitable
insistent
individual
insubstantial
as minion
horde
pure blanket
lay us down
to rest….

foot falls
sink each step
a trail
erased
nearly as quickly
as it is left
crystal cold
fine white
drift
numberless
falling
quiet
pillow a heart
blanket a day
lay us down
to rest
soft
pure
insistent….

white humble these eyes….

Fire Winter

play….

i like pastel
so paint
soft tint
i color
as steel blade
sure
as edge still
cuts
sure
red life
flows
i smile
anyway….

heal….

i hold pastel
to taste
soft hint
i swirl
as sweat steel
turn
curve sill
hold
turn
red life
burn
i smile
all aflame….

cold….

i white pastel
as flake
soft print
i fall
as blade sweat
freeze
cloud tear
ice
freeze
red life
amber
i smile
winter baiting spring….

feel….

As All Interlude

drawn:

Flesh tumble stumble
Incise skin stretch
Reason fashion season
Style tatter legion
Train breathe trail peer….

Leap hatter sheep matter
Insight shatter
Vex crow shadow dance
Exuberant sacrifice….

Grace paint supple
Rise sheer humble
Abrupt tease brace
Trip hammer trace
Ember kindle
Finger sign
Undulate mine
Linger here sigh….

Grateful ghost grin
Rose perfect hymn
Amen short word overdrawn
Call each movement
Even onto grace….

Lip quiver taste
Arrow tongue elate
Shudder stumble pulse
Tumble full to dust….

erase….