As I Gather Love Around

Macaroons & Chocolates in the dark corners

slowly blooming.  Our Blessed Lady

fingered full up and laced,

a pastel littering of petals:

What fun at last!   Hidden from sight,

your breasts are perfect on the other side.

I could barely breathe

To come put pins in your hand.

And I still have them,

those precious days of gum weed,

mad with mosquitoes and bees.

I cling to your voice, a tearing scream

so strangely illumined, far away, smiling,

curls falling forward as you work the Rosary

and the world explodes giving out kisses,

gently washing down where you left me

on your satin knee of shiny cream.

I pushed it and a big hole opened up:

A paper bird~~A skyless lark,

    Listening.

I have cried never more brilliant,

barely melting on your tongue.

I talked myself out of it.

The worry in the back of my mind

was like candy to me.

How thrilling and exhausting it all was:

a few cattails and Canada geese,

piles of cassette tapes,

tomatoes and cilantro and lots

of fresh cracked pepper.

That’s about it.

Threatening rain

Sustain    Sustain

Go out and come back

With a song again.

Tell me, what is it?

The gift floods rivers unstaunched,

blushing and random.   How so like a woman~~

plush violent veils, a blessing and comfort to me

so far from home and respect.

Who ruled me?

Metonymy, or the etymology

of oleander, hibiscus and jasmine

with Moroccan tea on the veranda,

putting broken glass in my shoe and Chopin.

Upstairs to linen as another nocturne tender

was red and wrecked

Quietly        Quietly

Carelessly torn around the corner,

slowly exhaling sweet juice,

looping chains,

pin-ups, rose-hips . . . .

Just beginning      Endlessly enchanting

A dirty raw mess

of a girl.

The water goes shallow, drenching slow.

Wings and legs         The morning so full.

You hold for me a savarin pillow,

sweet citrus and azure pools

melting into each other.

This vein of lead stretching out,

this low growing sea foam banquette,

shushes off there at the lake’s edge.

We will cross over to the island--places have been set.

Loveland is so lovely

between your fingers and between your thighs.

I hold close and kiss, hushing over until night.

Just as I expected, Hansel & Gretel

soon swallowed my sugar, my sweet.

And I loved you for hours through windows,

fragile and dear.

Yet, anything I could ask for

could not hurt the glaziery.

I could feel your smile:  wave washed warmth.

Tell me again that you love me,

palmed and drowned,

intoxicated,

an ant over a peony.

I won’t cry,

blessed by finches

tangled through my hair,

cloistered in blush burgundy silk,

as I gather love around.