January Verses

ROCK GUTTER

Remembering that morning

that journey that…slip

that shattered so many years

of loving joy into two bits

life together before memories after.

O Mother

land of hurts

stretch our weeping arms

around our wounded nation

from Fancy Rose Bank

Vermont

to every spot

of sudden death

and rent life.

Our weeping hands must rise

not to question God

but to answer

the crying earth

the blooded eye

the cowed nerve

the niggling remembrance

with burden sharing

Looking back with thanks

forward

to free

every morning

every journey

every …slip

and storm

from late regret.

We remember with loving thanks.

THE NEXT FIRE

When

bombloads of bribery ignite

my nuclear mendicancy

vaginal anomie,

piper and prophet

steel ballots in

mines of change,

Westminster

turns rubble and ash

When crowns on air

solemnly declare it

free and fair

thy will be done

Then

a stubble shoots out

tongues afire,

closet gossip breaks out

in street talk

is not our will that done

it still to come

When fire burn

next time

is our burn again will

burnished black.