Bde Maka Ska, 9.1.17
GREEK GALLEY
Now as high summer light ripens
for departure, I remember
how the slight high-wire figure
teetered with tinker shuffle – he bends
his magnetic pole like a long-legged
water-spider, concentrating,
pursuing path P (humming
under his breath) – like a ragged
American robin yodeling, like Francis
the mule on his slight dogwood
perch – so Mayflower would
not sink to sea-floor, so helpless
crowds not tumble from twin towers
to be men not destroyers
his mind moves with those powers
preternatural, avian – showers
of coruscate sparks from Night Sea
mind of Okean-reality
heart of gratitude-mentality
a rustic Thanksgiving Massasoit will see
to it along with Black Elk &
that woodpecker Thunderbird
a red-streak flute-word
seeking the common factor grain
of sand salt the personal touch
her hand moves back & forth
her footsteps north, south
with his east, west in a torch-
*
song dream a melody of Sabbath
silence invisible liberty
simplicity of soul poverty
& touch of palm Grace have no wrath
So you enter the fiery mind-hearth
of heart-mine the flame
that never dies who came
from Sky-Whale to the earth
Jonah turtledove blinding Phoenix
so that disconsolate disunion
of father & daughter be undone
with mother & son a catenary
parallax twin for twin tower
for gate dark green Atlantic
azure-tangerine Pacific
primavera robin in woodpecker bower
raven & bluejay & eagle looking on
all these old threads a nest
or safety net (good, better, best)
for wounded souls yearning for dawn
So take firm hold like little Philippe
the water-spider’s shaking handlebar
& skip like Juliet there
on the sandy shore where Okean-Ship
embarks for a feast of reconciliation
human with human clay
with clay like a Greek galley
with smiling eye aye-aye cosmopolitan
9.11.17
