Thursday, November 6, 2014

HEART THREAD Parts Thirty-Seven and Thirty-Eight

37.

Be self-indulgent while a self persists
the birds are gone but men flee work
the tiler has a clipper the hedge is thick
angry voices of the pilgrims bother us
my roof needs re-thatching who are you
are you Madeleine after all all history in your hand
they showed me so many things I took the oath
I felt the sword blade across my Adam’s apple
hoodwinked gladly in the name of love
all our businessmen in masks and music
a secret society made entirely of you
chain the bike and ride the almond tree away. 

38.

Cast among minnows the maiden floundered
out of the little brook baring a message
all is revealed we’ve known all along
water drips along the shank her arch is high
light shows through the least of our constructions
only a pyramid can hold all that dark
there’s still some ink left in the world
inscribe yourself in the family Bible use your Hebrew name
hemlock branches make good torches
renew my membership in France
for I was born before the poem ended
the children were still struggling in the apple tree.