Grounded

for Pajamas in response to "gassed, Pinchos and Chaja"

I am reminded by a friend
a woolly, flannel'd soul
that lives have been taken

before time required

the earth cries
I will sit upon her
and converse with the worms

between my fingers

09/11/10 at Siletz Bay, OR

low tide at 9:11 am
even the ocean
shows its respect

au revoir

the smell of smoke?
is it as they say?
she can not tell

but my arm feels
the wisps of her
white, white hair

feathery there
where once dyed silver
we tried to curl together

a stroke of the white
a swab of gums
minty air mingles

with my lips
I press
my goodbye

Lake Revelation

dam up the rivers

     of all the earth's wars

and you have a body

     of sacrifice

drink from its water

     both bitter and pure

then see...

For Harold:

the clock strikes
mourning
a death
is a death

lilac's memorial,
a kiss on the breeze
resurrects a friend

~

Many thanks to Brian Zimmer for his help with this poem:
peonies drink deep
for loved ones sleeping
sweet embalming air

memorial's song
bugle call cleaves air, heart, soul
swallowed by the grave