the love that draws the sun & the other galaxies

IRIS-TURTLE

The curve of the river twines the curve

of the path, they skip together

downstream.  Warm autumn weather

clears the mind a little (light mauve

asters nodding under cottonwoods).

The poem’s woven trace

catches the vif, the grace

of movement – Berkeley’s moods

in Paradise (Newport)... his eyes

commingling a million

threads beneath the sun

into a massive sky-warp of surprise –

Daphne’s comb or seaweed wave

of tears (the patient laurel

lifts gnarled arms from Hell

into the marrow of yawning grave).

The living mind, the raven-shadow

of Platonic iris-turtle... Venn

diagram or madrigal (ken

you my mosey-keening yet?) – below

the longing of the galaxies,

their milky sarabande –

a spectrum of star-sand,

poured from hand to hand.  He’s

just daydreaming of Marina now

(sea-daughter, blithe naiad

of Taurida) – be glad

you’ve followed his light-dancing prow.

9.30.16