New Orleans Maw

     Like a moth in for a soft landing
in a hard, deep porcelain vale,
As white as light: Steep surround-basin:
sound, sleepy walls, sheer walls, sheer wings,
flightless still-life
thinkless, idle flake;
Quiescent,
translucent, infinitesimal
pulse.
as silent as light.

All is calm, is well, is right
is lull,
until a shadow veils, and then…
and then the cock turns; the blind
animal wakes, the innards come,
the guttural caw, the serpent hiss, the uncocked
spigot sputters
faucet roars
pours,
blasts
in titanic wash,
seizure and lift,
twist and break,
start and startle and remov-
al go-round in
futile in-
finitesimal shock in-
stictive limp-
winged too slight,
might too mighty:
the flush and crush, the wrathful
roiled waters,
the swirling whirpool suck
into the maw—
the manmade maw,
into the maw’s
abyss.

“Officially Attached!”

Could the Window that was chilly
and the Shade, alas, forsaken,
Be made just for each other,
was it romance in the makin’?

Might a minister be handy
to service such a match-up,
To handle the proceedings
and get a proper latch-up?

And who would be the wedding guests
but Ceiling, Wall—and Door!
Pairs of matching Chairs and Tables
would occupy the Floor.

And though but a single wedding band
this couple could afford,
It would dangle from a string
to always guarantee accord.

And with, at last, the wedding
of Shade and Window done,
each day providing visitors
to sit in shade and sun…

the Window gets its blanket,
the Shade gets hung a-right,
And the Ups and Downs of passing years
bring shadow, and give light!

in Relief

My father died
last night in sleep
alone

to be expected
a habit with him.

In sleep a year ago

my father cried and trembled
Screaming to the night
called me

A pattern
in the night’s black watch
Horror
a habit with us

On the top floor
adrift
my father fell
into my arms
Bright eyes against the night
we touched.

A wish
bright
obscured by day’s excess of light

A habit with me
in privacy in secrecy
darkness is relief