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The Jib

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At the edge lies an energy ribbon,
a curlicue encircles existence
shielding the fray from the outskirts,
creation’s earliest days, mere mortals.

A one-sided curve one travels in vain
to arrive at one’s self – again;
I’m queued up behind me behind me  .  .  .
a thousand-fold, so I take a number
and wait my turn.

At the tip of the girdling swirl is an arrow
that forks and guides the ways home;
I’ve rigged my sails for the solar wind
with provision on-board for forever.

Experienced first-mates are hard to find
they fall overboard more often than not
so I plan to take this trip alone
to double my remaining days.

At the head of the line finally, I turn to face
all that I am recedes behind me,
a shimmer of motion, a cascade of farewell,
adoring throng, we will miss us.

Goodnight, Godspeed
pray all be well
this stark and starry flight.

© Chagall 2014

Lesson Lost On Youth # 11

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Currently
voltage and water
don’t mix

ohm my!

© Chagall 2014

The Chain

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Birds chirp, agree
the day is safe
for short reconnaissance flights

Keep the starlings close at wing,
just how early is
too early?

Worms sleep in
below the ground
languid in compost heaps

© Chagall 2014

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I’ve set myself the goal
to approximate the intensity
of a scream here in a poem

Epithets in all caps
seems too obvious
and besides that’s point in time
what I’m seeking is something more

A gradual swell that starts
as a mere perturbation
or perhaps more an uneven rise
to crescendo, jagged edges
exasperation, the incredulous
mortification, shit all over me
fucking duck bastards
that’s right, walk away!

© Chagall 2014

Witness

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I embraced your arrival
so I will hold you as well
when you perish, you will taper
and disappear to leave behind
an asterisk, the ripple
of a damselfly on the lake
pure crystal tone

© Chagall 2014

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This is our moment:
when the light off our bodies
travels for eons
and is as far away as long ago,
those who reside there
yet to come
will know our triumph
through the energy of our waves
and the ecstatic angles
of our dance.

© Chagall 2014

3 A.M.

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The wind tonight
moans like a pan flute lover
on the crest in salted foam
searching aqua on the black

I pray for boughs from the arbor
round as thighs, engorged with snow
frozen crisp, ready to break
free, to collapse the roof
and bury us deep in the rubble

© Chagall 2014

Whirled Shook Up

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The slower snow is content to flurry
but hastened to blizzard
by crazed young flakes
so all the world’s a-swirl

© Chagall 2014

I’d Be So Wrong

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Tatted lace about the heart
of the secretly admired
is over time tattered.

Let’s not unveil our eyes,
not yet.

The spun world
welcomes lovers,
you’ve heard
the old song say.

It all comes undone,
your hair, your belt,
your inner peace,
when this reddest heart’s
at bay.

I will cherish
your innocence
until I won’t,
so sadly.

Farewell love,
time will have
no need to heal
this time.

Starched white tatting
hold sway, this Happy
St. Valentines Day.

© Chagall 2014

Do Us Part

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I was unable to reach any conclusions
with the ladder she’d provided
foregone or otherwise,
though I drew upon her wisdom
first with crayons
and then acrylics
in my second trimester
of expecting change
for better or worse
whichever came first
depending on the speed
of her stroke

time marches to a sweep
smaller than a second-hand
takes away
what the hour gives
broad arcs on which we ride
to evade the flood
two by two
concussive blows from
two by fours
do-see-do and curtsies

picking at nits
and daisy petals
she loathes me
she loathes me lots

the bathrobe I recognize
but whose sari now?

© Chagall 2014