Egairia


A dark blue
............wearing green skin
......................that is green
...................................ivory
......threading through sand ..........asleep
entering .......from murk..... the browns of ground
..........unperceived
..through the
..........deformations
..................subterranean
wearing water ........draped with ...skin
.......stippled ............................under
.....fish
.........spotted enveloped
....waving ...........sand changing eyes ...scattered
..........garments .....discarding ..sliding over .......ivory
seasonal adolescence
................................breast
....................green
............................................surrounded
.........surrounded

visiting .......night ......Numa

.........down

...................pool


.....................filtered
.........shouting into streams

................................we are here
......................we are

rushing away



--Transfer, 2004
--Residual Fragments

The Water Temple

Passing through gardens
in the glare of Roman marble
a haze of white light obscures the green
distance

concentric rings
of would-be fountain
are filled with blooming grass
of white-silver plant angels
surrounding
a statue of Egairia
that stands like Phidias’ Athena
in the place of the well

like liquid
a pale platform
of mattress
of shower
growing columns
and canopy
vines of sheets
around her

mounting
arms and legs
of cream
or baked meringue
lifting the roof of hair

the muscles
held
as if by a gyroscope
passing between
electromagnets



--Dream International Quarterly
--Residual Fragments

Chocolate

On a riverboat
as Pahn steps into a room
a man steps out

Pahn means to think nothing of this
but cries instead
and Rakhehla holds him
and she sings to him
his old songs
and though he can’t decide if she understands them
or if knowing them (him)
makes a difference
finally he feels something
even if it isn’t love
and so it is time to join the men

Pahn sits with laughers
friends of hers
They eat chocolate
Pahn eats chocolate
and laughs too

Pahn sees the price—
eight dollars
for one big slab
and there are many

Leaving the steamboat
he walks
and something is wrong
His sister

Ahnjehlia
garden and heather
sits near a gate
upset
Pahn asks why

She won’t answer
but her stomach is sick and coming up
Pahn speculates that she

has eaten too much chocolate

--mojo risin'

--Residual Fragments