he today is split fruit
knowledge opened to rough tongues
a muse unseated during his reign
hewn from dark corners his hands
raise marbled statues of men
no wind shall stir these wings
no storm shall break a feather free
and nesting
beneath their glory
we find ourselves hungry
but unafraid
my table holds my husband’s work station- double computers and all
my children each set up randomly round the house with their laptops
and i
do nothing
which is to say i read and write and practice handwriting
poke ghosts with sticks then water the garden but nothing big
I’m the trivial life
tonight i am well enough to cook dinner spaghetti
i laugh with my children past bedtime
question each about their care of each pet
i wander far into my own thoughts
a cloak of silence
and watch the cars on the highway make a lap
she’s been hibernating
rustling the pages on her books to see how other lives end
she’s been judging you
on the pile of titles you hold up
not a single classic among the bunch
and now she’s lost to you
in all her shopkeeper zen
has become
a stack of books on the front porch
in a simple paper bag
how you miss her
my throatback burns my husband’s hand trembles in night dreams do i think I’m losing him
no
molasses eyes turn amber in the sun
and in both the deep and light places
i feel loved
do i think I’m losing my mind
yes
thank you in nightgown silks whispers from the hall. I’m totally together.
no not at all
another whisper from the hall
the hall
unframed unnoticed between
what better part to longer linger
squeeze of embarrassment
in the bag of my stomach
yes, I’ve changed
all things grow thirsty
i pass my cup of water to the ghost
it falls
the moment passed
do i think he’ll notice I’ve cleaned up
no
i roll to my side
the b record
and say
goodnight everybody
testimony is truth known through experience and witness and spirit
testimony should be your spirit talking to another’s spirit
testimony is truth
anything less than testimony
is not truth
testimony is knowledge
what you know to be true
how you know it to be true
shared with the purpose of giving that knowledge to another
it can be rejected
or accepted
my testimony is that He lives, the Savior of us all
at the side of the road
a fire
she huddles around
waiting for her children
they break through the trees
in woven clothes and tails
and in all good manners greet Sollilabelle
at the side of the road
they careen and carouse
these children of forest
and Sollilabelle
she offered them gifts of breads and beads, of market tomatoes fresh from the trees
and hungrily they eat. hungrily they tell tales
and this is the one i overhead
in the blackest wood
streaks a red heart
from which grows a sword
the man that wields that sword
will fall ill
and a woman fair no better-
but one wish it grant
and one only
that you become closer to a perfect self
dear readers,
i accepted the invitation
and lay 5 years prostrate
in illness no one could uncover
but i rise in the sixth year to tell you true
better i am. and wiser too
the night sky is oilier than usual
he trips beneath the hound of darkness
runs his hand over her belly as she passes overhead
moon companion moon
both turn to hear her shudder
a-wooo a-wooo
and answer her
in one lone voice
and in timber of wolves and coyotes
with a fine whine coming from two campers roasting marshmallows
the traveler pauses
the hound continues on
she’s outgrown his games
pulls from embraces
set sights on different aims
wrung out the rags to remove all traces
simplify simplify simplify
but in her case
complexes
more of her wants
pets and books and art
less of his influence
less popcorn in her hair
more documentaries and ID channel
antique roadshows and journaling
more shenanigans
his traces still felt
on his face
but not here
no
not here
his words once held suns
a thousand crickets hidden under each syllable
coronal loops encircling her form
and then his body grew language
permissions and laws
in his need for control
he lost her
in pulling the noose tight
stay still
because you want to lay traps
stay still
because you literally push people away
stay still
you’re about to fall in love
AbyKittiwake 