the principle of the epic poem

STAR-FIELDS

A monarch sails transparent air

over a sea of grass

toward Mexico cedars.

June hums softly into summer

orchestra – a Symphony

of Ocean River (flutes

by Apollinaire).  Broom-roots

of harmony brush copper tympani

with nervous splendor.  The principle

of the epic poem – Hart

Crane’s plangent part

for solo Jonah (sailor’s pipe)

merges with cat-gut chords

of choral hymn, Atlantean –

sagas of Everywoman,

Everyman (adze-edge word-hoards).

A stone spun from heaven... King

Tut’s meteoric dagger,

sanded to plow much bigger

meadows.  Star-fields of the tongue

flicker from familiar cave –

shape speech to love,

vault from worm-grave

to groves of cedar (almond nave

upon a flame-stream, evergreen

to save).  Pine-needles

tingle with seedling-

cones; wings fan (bright V-formation).

6.7.16

Lake Vermilion (sunset, 6.5.16)