Borrowed with interest

The first cardinal of spring 

Perched himself on my tree,

A dragonfly kissed me on the cheek,

And a sunburn, finally

The shedding begins—

Empty the cabinets 
Water the garden.

I cannot say I’m sorry,
Nor will I ever beg your pardon;
But I’d throw a coconut in the ocean 
To see how it might grow.

Harvest

A golden maiden gathers the grains;
A silver reaper brings its decay. 

Yesterday I prayed for rain;
Today a tornado came.

Il Divino

Last night I watched his naked body

As it twitched restlessly in bed beside me
A silhouette directed by its phantom captain,

Stretched like canvas across the sheets
Painted in the static blue 
Light of a false moon;

I whispered aloud to soothe him:

        When winter comes

                 The sky plays rhythm 

        The days are gray and

                 Night seems unending.

        Dream of the Sun instead

                 Returning on his chariot 

        Then remember to forget.

In his artificial peace,

From the endless toiling 

A well-earned reprieve

For a man who never stops to see 

He already has all he hoped to achieve; 

Stroking the cool, pale skin
Of my Michaelangelo's bare bicep

I let him sleep.

Though I know what he labors for

Is hard to get

        Love like this

                 Is harder yet.

Conquerers

What is a man's seed
But the substantive result of a need
To see himself individually

Reflected in the flesh,
Separately.
Believing only in what we see
We worship him for his virility

And this supposed act of sovereignty.

Although we may think she can only receive
The power of Earth's viridity

Lies in her ability 

To summon all seeds, 

Invisibly.

It is out of disbelief we call it an act of cruelty

When she then rejects as easily
What she does not need

Leaving to bleed 

That which was planted carelessly

Without her blessings.

Severance

By decree
With this sacred steel
I sever all threads
And release us immediately
From the burden we share;
Your load no longer mine to hold
Mine no longer yours to bear;
Once more we carry our own.

May your body 
Rest in peace
Now it is completely free.

Trust I've borne the weight faithfully
Cared for, polished, and coated with gold leaf
The bronze bones of your Abarkuh tree
Pruned its limbs to forever
Reach upwardly.

May our bodies
Rest in peace
Now they are completely free.

Sycorax Speaks

Come, Ariel
While Prospero sleeps

From the sea, I summon thee.

Are you ready?

Calling all turnkey men.

Are you ready?

I’m not furniture, don’t take a seat.

Are you ready?

I’m no doctor, bring your own medicine. 

Are you ready?

I’m no mother, this bounty belongs to me, only.

Are you ready?

Come, Ariel
While Prospero sleeps

From the sea, I summon thee.

Farmer

I confess an obsession:

Men with a penchant

For working the earth

Heavy hands

Whiskey lips

And eyes 

Wide with dollar signs

Their cum tastes like
Tobacco and honey
To them, I taste like

Forgotten divinity

How do they always find me?

No compass

No heartbeat

Still a moth will fly

Toward the blinking green light.