1.
The rain is coming down
in the city at the center
cars vans caravans of vans & cars
bicycles motorcycles ambulances firetrucks
crows eating debris from porches gutters alleys
earthworms in backyard gardens
eat kitchen waste spilled
from early morning garbage trucks
starlings on car roofs hoods windows
on the heads of walkers
on city blocks
up & down
leaves fall
on
gum
wrappers
apple
cores
sometimes
bare
bones
2.
When the crow looks to the right
it sees the wilderness
when the crow looks to the left
it sees the city
which gives more? takes less?
takes less? gives more?
wilderness peak cliff & waterfall
crashing in dreams
after dark before dawn
after sunrise before sunset
after noon before dusk
after twilight & morning
in a sliver of the eye
giving or taking
this depth
after death
before birth
knowing
nothing
before
or
after
3.
Knowing nothing other than
this rain this city
this city of streets
this center city tonight & yesterday
these dreams of quests
tomorrow & yesterday
rain washing rapids
searching
for something
here
there
wherever
Matter
earth/matter mother/matter courage/matter fear/matter
hearth/matter star/matter rain/matter city/matter
love/matter love/matter love/matter
this city at the center
breathing a wild heartbeat
piercing a privileged silence
of questing
significance
better
faster
quicker
deeper
4.
The judge walks into the room
scans the room
sees what he is looking for
no one knows his legacy
it’s the same everywhere
sky-foam doom-tree gold
his whippoorwill right —
judgment’s fold
& quest
no harm
to try
this picture
retrieved/
play it
again
sometime
5.
The one in the confessional the tall one
the thin one the short one the bald one
the thick one the one in the grey suit
the one bulging the one w/mustache & goatee
the one who climbs stairs the one who digs dirt
the skyscraper one the funny one the tricky one
the one who desires who loves himself the mea culpa one
the joie de vivre one the one who judges the one who criticizes
the one who specializes the one who appreciates
the apprentice who sings, plays, communicates
the touching one the loud one the sorry one the soft one
the one who wears gray the one who wears red the fancy one
the fanciful one the one who longs the one who cries
the one who says I’m sorry the one who wears green
the one who plants gardens the one who loves rue
the kingly one the thinking one the one who loves tulips
the one
who prepares
supper
who
offers
solace
for
every
one
6.
Don’t wait for the slide rule
to heaven
whatever the calculation
vocables hover on the edge
fluttering
like silver wings
to clear un
greased tongues
rummy rods erotic touch
of mind—flimsy excuse
for daily living
below lies a fault
to relish—Antarctic
truth to holler about
the one dream
dress to refashion
traipse to the city
walk on railroad tracks
get married
like a cosmic flip
the food of chance mid-
night raid
veritable shopping mall:
pink/red frilly dress
blue/green checked dress
above the rib cage dress
below the waist dress
sock dress shoe dress
zucchini veined
cucumber
pleat
squash
hanging
tomato
vine
dress
7.
Call it urbanity
to know the place
where forgiveness hovers
as dream or reality
of city
a place
to learn
a wisdom
of self
8.
Lime trees bear fruit
out the window
they belong to you
will you take them?
will you know them?
will you ever
set your stake . . .
on them
9.
Electric cells bounce
like pool balls
in the city the sun
on hot winter days
the child faces the wind
she prays more courage
than two objects reduced
to wandering
she looks for the search
reaches for the sticks
retraces
squats
little
fetal
ball
little
lamplight
little
played
ripple
10.
body. body. body. body.
body. body. body. body. body.
body. body. body. body. body. body. body.
body. body. body.
11.
Praise worth-truth
evidence of words
ecstasy of fact
real issue
no abstraction
eyes see self
more worthy deliverance
continuum of desire
no negation of body
factual act
learn the moves
open the curtains
disclose
tricks
praise
her
city
voice
infinite
12.
she writes in blue eye shadow & rouge
