2009-12-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

The wind this morning

Earlier this morning, the wind blew a trash-bin across the street,
tore branches from the Japanese elm, and woke me up at three.
Now, as I walk back home from my run, it cleans the clouds
from the sky, and plays shadow puppets with the railing of the fence:
the palings’ shadows show dark against the street, then disappear,
like mystic lines of verse, erased forever by an illiterate monks’ hand.
It moves swiftly, as though it had business elsewhere, and like a semi-drunk
fraternity boy, mindlessly cleaning up the mess of last night’s carouse.
It left its traces: the ponds in mid-street, forlorn trunks,
stripped of boughs, and things left where they’re not supposed to be.

Farewell to Talaria

2009-10-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

See Talaria on the dock
- who waits for no one but the wind -
the azure sky, the azure sea
'midst these Talaria longs to be.

See Talaria trailed behind
a tractor on route 95
sail lain beside - as though in state -
that caught the setting sun in May.

Now Talaria's wrapped in sheets
she floats, a ghost raised low above
the winter's earth. Yon flapping edge
whispers tales of summer's breeze.

Laurels of Helikon

Farewell to Talaria