still

lightning-struck,
bearing dead
pears dropping,
green bearded
stalagmite -
standing still/
still standing;
would it cry,
pray to die?

auto-baptism

curse of a crumbling, impermeable rhinestone
sulci/deepening graves, a sundered jealousy
spilling the paint on vine and lattice;
hands pulling water clinging,
up and free from the basin, dripping/returning,
the half-vivification of a blurry face...
mud drifting back into the skin -
it's raining but there is work to be done

this

centipede: segmented but linear,
doubled in feet, crawling in blackened leaf
the charred remains of clearing out bad spots -
fell in love with a spider, kissed blankly;
no hundred foot marathon, just a step

sequester

Peeling the onion, looking for fruit/
On dull knees, a deaf mute
Clasping the rhythm, choking off bars/
A vaguely tragic pantomime/
The universe/ a great non-sequitur laugh track