the beautiful immediacy of your hands
compels me to remember how cold they were
that first time i took one in my own
and we initiated a transfer of body heat
from my palm to yours
as if my blood sang a song
and your heart sang
the chorus at first
and then the harmony
until we were the same temperature
Tag: heart
Poem 20150507
i saw a fire burning in the sea
in the sea
in the sea
and within the fire grew a tree
grew a tree
grew a tree
its leaves were flames
its fruits were gems
and one of these a diadem
i saw an angel upon the shore
upon the shore
upon the shore
and in its hand a sword it bore
sword it bore
sword it bore
the edges of the blade were eight
made by heaven’s mysterious art
and with the blade it pierced my heart
i saw a tiger in the night
in the night
in the night
its skin was dark but its stripes were bright
stripes were bright
stripes were bright
its mouth was filled, a froth of blood
its feet were hands like those of men
its eyes were ice, its breath a wind
Poem 20150213
break all the hearts
snap them until your hands
are caked with candy dust
and the food safe inks
coat your fingers like
blood
dig out the cherry centers
of all the chocolates
evacuate the liqueur
and save it to burn in lamps
made of human flesh
and human bone
call upon st. valentine
to strike with his crozier
to break open every heaving chest
expose every swiftly beating heart
like a surgeon intent
on eradicating some diseased
greasy, necrotized mass of tissue
so the lungs can finally fill with air
Poem 20150127b
i’ll take a star
out of the night sky
let it cool in my hands
and hide it in a place
where you will find it
it will be warm
and white
in your
warm white palm
and if you hold it close
to your ear
you will hear the galaxies turning
and the voice of an angel
which is your own voice
and the star is your beating heart
Words and Feathers 