Knowing
(Two
to the Fifth Power)
Can we be together when we are apart
And so share our loneliness and love?
Remember when to meet then part we flew or drove
Ourselves? Are we closer now, or
was that start
Love's nova noon, when burst a star's fierce heart?
Just now, is it more like hand and glove
And the comfortable warmth of a friendly cove,
Good
to rest in, easy to find on the chart?
Each time we pull away to join once more, we yearn,
Rekindle our desire by drawing back -- or trying.
Joined again, we soar, then return to earth
Urgently craving to crave, burning to burn
Once more. Love, born in
loneliness’ sweet dying,
Yet lives, each death continual rebirth.
Overpathed Fragment
The first few times I tried to
read his mind, I didn't get very far --
The fine print, all those characters coming and
going, all those long stretches when nothing happened, just interminable
repetitious description --
But I kept trying to read
it. I knew there was a wealth of useful
information there, if only I could stay awake long enough to find it,
But it was just too much for
me. The contents were so complicated
that each time, sooner or later, I'd feel my head swimming.
There was just one thing to
do. I hated to do it, but it had to be
done.
I simplified his mind. There was less there - of course - afterward,
but at least I could make use of it.
It’s been a little
game of tenderness and tears,
The little time from
morning’s nap to evening’s,
Not worth to make a
childish fuss about;
Who cares they took
your bestest doll away
Or made you wear the
ugly shoes to play?
So think about your
day, prepare yourself for sleep,
And listen to the tale
you half believe.
This morning was too
many years ago
For you to hear again
inside your head
What Mommy said to
coax you out of bed.
Inside, you’re tiny,
though you pull on grown-up clothes.
With thoughts that
flutter like bright butterflies,
You draw or paint your
fancy colored dreams,
Or sing in sweetly
silly baby verse,
Your hopes, although
by now you’ve learned much worse.
Good noon, good
afternoon, good night, my sweet.
Each time has had its
special, secret joys,
For every child, the
special, secret toys.
Though not the best,
or most, of course Mom loves you
And loves each other
of her children, too.
If now your head hums
hollow with forgetting,
Don’t let yourself be
scared of your new sleep.
Defy the yawning
nightmare gate ahead
Tell Momma as she
kisses you Good Night:
“Tonight I’ll sleep
without the bedroom light.”
Ulysses and Nausicaa
"But, my dear, you will have to live after I
die."
"I don't expect to die, and I’ve decided you
won't
"Either."
"Thank you." " . .
. Where were you yesterday?"
"Before you were born?" "Oh, come on. I wish you would try
"For a change to be serious with me. You know I don't
"Like to be treated like a child." "Um." "What did you say?"
"I said 'Um.'
I meant I would have to think about that."
"Well, where were you?" "I visited my lover." "How is she?"
"Fine. . . .
I have a surprise for you:
"I've decided I don't care if you get fat,
"So here's a candy for you. I brought it with me
"From my lover's house." "Is that an old love, or is she
new?"
"Very new.
Born just yesterday evening."
"How could
"You visit her before she was born?" "It was her fetal charm."
" . . . Uly, what sort of diamond did you
stare at? Was it flawed?
"How did you bare it to the light? Was there some
"Magic spell that protected you from harm?
"When you saw me, were you scared? Awed?"
"I'm scared now. You shouldn't change roles like that.
"You shouldn't break the rhythm."
"Nothing rhymes with rhythm."
"That's quite a farfetched rhyme." "From beyond the universe."
"Will you stay like this for a while? I think I'm going to be impotent."
"No. I
won't let you. My dear, you will have to
live before you die."
Love Is Wherever You Look for It
Suppose that a star should uncover her face
And light up the sky with her blush;
Suppose that the night would embrace us here
As we stroll through her intimate hush,
And we entered her secret feminine place
She never before let us near:
Then, in the darkness where all things live
Swollen and throbbing with love,
The ground ashudder with passionate fire,
The moon softly moaning above,
Would there be any caress we could give
To
join in her dance of desire?
Yet -- yet love is near,
Though the night hides her passion, though the stars remain veiled;
In our dreams, in our hearts, in the air,
Underneath our belief that we've failed,
Behind anger and under our fear,
The chorus sings joy everywhere:
We two are part of the night, as we yearn;
We, too, are one with the night, and return.
Love, when music breaks my heart
Or sunrise kisses the town awake,
I miss the brews you used to make;
I miss the bruise you used to make.
The coffee we would share in bed
Before we shared the bath's delight
Would start our juices flowing right,
Would start our juices-flowing rite.
I gulp my coffee now at stands
Where loneliness is what one buys
Avoiding other lonely eyes,
Avoiding other lonely I's,
Forgetting thorns, recalling roses,
Dreaming of love's ecstatic pleasure,
Remembering my heart's lost treasure;
Remembering, my heart's last treasure.
