* * *

"because I never say farewell"

I wondered how to say goodbye
because I never say farewell
as I brushed my long brown hair
interspersed with grays and hues
of dyes in remnants of a blonde
moment hollowed 'neath my eyes
they write the stories I cannot
as lashes falling on my cheeks
are poetry that I will not
never ever tell
until I know thatI am free
of the weight of all these keys
unlocking and dismissing these

choices

mock plurality

like lipsticks in a drawer.

I twist a tube and paint a ruse
circles on my cheeks
a clown
and paint my lips
on upside down
deciding that I am
a mime
because I never say farewell
I never know what's coming next
and so I offer silences
as pennies dropped into a well--
waiting for the sound of splash
and pulling up a bucketfull
of that which doesn't quench my will
because I never say farewell--

I count the copper in my cup,
and pray it is enough.

* * *

"resignation"

There's nothing left for you to hate.
Don't you see? We're dying here.
Parchment in the face of fate -
stringers porcelained and splayed
held up to the sun
I weep
the maps of roads
are purpling
backroads of the past
and grief
in fingers curving comma pray
priests are counting beads
and they
feel a need they should confess
within
the boxes of duress
and Jesus
wanted it
this way.
(god is great)

God is good.

and there is so much that I hate--

I guess I'm going to Hell.

* * *

"as told to me by faeries"

Aware, beware
the faery ring
for where they dance
is where they sing
Homage to the faery-king
encircled mushrooms round.

"A circle on the ground!"
said they,
"A circle is a line."
they sang,
"swallowing it's tail."
they scried
"a circle can be found."

(A circle on the ground.)


Rain and pain
and skies that cry
the father sun
in bleed of eye
as dots of white
appear in bloom
across the lawn
to shade the moon

"A circle on the ground!"
said they,
"A circle is a line
of time
swallowing it's tail."
they say
"a circle can be found."

(A circle on the ground.)

tragic magick
unaware
the foot that can't
dance life in bare
skin too tickled by the leaf
of laughter underneath the feet
of circles shrieking
underground--
"Our faery life is doomed!"

(Our lives will end too soon.)

They said:

"A circle must be round."

* * *