September morning just cool enough
to show the soil’s breath. Forest
in fog, new gold under
old green, give me
your delectable frost, fine
web of lines, the wind-
fallen apple that fits
so snugly in the palm
& when I take a bite it bites back.
Who’d want their sugar
straight, without
some tartness? Give it to me
dry, as they say of wine. Impure,
like every true love. And
the must – ah, let it settle
to the bottom
All this time without the sight of you
has been bright, quiet, sweat-free,
with only the distant tolling of bells
morning after morning to remind me
that somewhere people might
be rising & kneeling together,
intertwining the fingers
of their left & right hands
& bowing their heads over them,
intoning the joyful syllables of reunion.
The moon has rounded its full cycle
from dark to dark all the while
this single day has kept replaying,
like a peppy song on heavy rotation,
& I have set the noontime table
as well as a guy who lives alone
I have instructions
but nothing without the sea
my full gaze upon
her conversation
instructions as general
as the rain
after drinking
where are we
as windy as winter
but with married hands
in our blue
wonder bed
ask a kiss to wait
till further orders
he who must come in hope
will go to wrack
see all the grief
put to work loving
like a cook’s conquest
of the eyes
an ordinary husband may sing
tuning his guitar
I play a bad instrument
with rich oils
I dare not believe it is good
better than expected
and my love is dancing
in her bed
how lightly a kiss speaks
no word but ourselves
like the ink of night lost
in her mourning gown
far off
the legerdemain of a peak
often seen yet impossible
ever to have
as are you
doors in the forest
took the dimensions of certain
spots where we met
so the heart’s wishes
grow intricate together
sorrow in balance with glad
if love is an accident
I should be kind to this
rogue October heart
take it out for dinner
all good and hot
like a devil
pleased to have
my private sin sing
another piece of my song
is love a print of passion
is the frame so fine
we exceed the sheet
are amours made clean again
at night
the morning got close to you
with many sparks
ourselves as we were again
might sing