Monthly Archives: April 2013
The Exploding Hearts
Carl E Rinsch-The Gift
Charles Bukowski – Help Wanted
my lungs and the ashes they scatter
boy scout knife
cuts knot of dignity
buried in thin soil
warming under a march sun
a first moth touched skin,
shiver to the marrow,
her anatomy before me to explore,
transparent eyes
cast shadows on high cheekbones,
i am not that sad memory
of your brothers eye
but a rare specimen,
no longer chain smoking
or drinking dark bourbon,
hair dyed blonde under
my fingers made me think of
sails on a 1655 vessel
cast onto an ocean
with crew of silent men,
your face i could borrow
and place as a mask
on that clock in the hall
the one that never expels
the right time only a false line
of narrative,
either my retina is damaged
or i am truly seeing you now,
guess how long you have been lying here,
mind let thought liquify
into a silenced reservoir ,
i made an oath before holding those hands
fingers more suited to beer bottle necks
than a piano’s gentle ivories,
grubs now crawl about us
fat juicy bodies leathery to touch,
a handful wriggling
over us so harrowing,
will we ever return to the bar
where we met or will it be just me,
your thigh humility’s myth
a touch would alert the sky
and rain would fall,
standing aside i look down,
i had possessed with my freak show nature
letting go would be hard,
i could not go further or police would question me,
whispers and a tiny breath
you are on your feet
in my embrace
lips still scarlet not turned blue,
back seat vinyl
tattered blouse and jeans,
a bad trip i explained
drugs have that effect
beguiled and confused
i lifted you back into a relevant world
of love and truth,
the electricity of this terrible road
had ended
into a city of one hundred years
state visit
grand palace of united creatures
stage to the supper of presidents and kings,
finest foods the forest could provide
cutlery shone on butlers jacket
and in their finery they arrived
stoat,
weasel,
ferret,
mole, badger and toad,
to eat and speak confidences made
treaties broken amended and signed,
it would be a glorious affair
trumpets and choir,
long oak table shone,
voices hushed as speaker spoke
in long oration,
nodding and quietly assured
they waited to speak there turn
as fine turnip soup was served
laden with cream and pinch of pepper,
toad wanted to be center of attention
without his contributions all others
would fail,
badger muttered under his breath,
too many times when the others had
been awash he had bailed them out,
mole was pleased with his display
all seemed so merry
without fox who stayed away to
the east snapping grumpily at
his pack,
blackberry wine flowed
differences appeared
it declined as dessert appeared
your just a stoat someone shouted
badger roared overturning table
seed cake rolled
as food fight ensued old hatred emerged
mole hovered in the middle
watched as all crumbled about him
anger consumed as reddened faces
spat angry words,
tomorrow there would be war
someone would be overthrown,
and what of mole
confused in his coalition with
the silent absent owl
should he return to the
underground creatures
that adored him,
not knowing how to stave off
economical collapse
or tidal surge of opposition
meekly snuffling
into a hand stitched handkerchief
knew his days would end in
prison
Helen Ward
knives sweeter than arrows
flesh of silk and snow
naked as a fawn exposed to winter,
draft seeped through window
that cast a lemon block outside,
pages before her with ink that began
to merge,
precious silent thoughts
lifted to starry skies,
sorrow had not brought it’s shadow
her eyes strong enough to look into
the fire and show innocence,
telephone rang
the artist whose heart moved in spirals
waited with canvas and sable
and when snow retreats
and fireflies waken
she would stir to his caress,
till then entwined with knowledge
of youth and biology
lessons planned for each week
distraction long holding
avoidance to all things carnal
despite prick of skin
and clamor of heart,
she would wait as others too waited
and beneath soft auburn hair
decisions would be made
Jamie Wyeth Monhegan’s Schoolteacher
Gary Snyder -Pollen
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