bebop robin

OKIE NOOK

Sophie’s sunny little birthday balloon

with the starry polka-dots

is losing air now – that’s

how it is with balloons.  Under octagon

of the gazebo roof, like a spiderweb

in golden brown.  The Sacred

Wood was reconfigured –

scarred & scored rough oak nub

rounded to slight chaste coracle.

Apollo’s memory of Daphne

wells near Mississippi

into gnarled pillars (maze or miracle?);

one bebop robin solos from 

an Okie nook, wears

pork-pie hat... & there’s

a poppy (rich red-purple plum)

unfolding down his chest – an origami

floating city, cordial

with accordions, with all

things orbital (inverted harmony,

fresco to Viennese).  An island rose

out of infinite green,

balanced on submarine

turtledove blimps (of caritas);

the loping soul of liberty

sprang from Goodwill

her dancing shoes – & (still

traipsing) turns opal Star of the Sea.

9.13.16

One perfect notion

SEEDY OWL

Take this canoe : figure in space

afloat upon time.

Like a Venn diagram

of lapping overlappings, Falcon-Ace –

with the footprint of a sacrifice

like seal of royal doom

(where heavy lilacs bloom).

Beneath lilacs, by Lake of the Isles

I turn back down Memory Aisle...

see shades by willow leaves

in Providence.  Gold sheaves

of lyres, in single evening file –

there’s good gray Edwin, like

a giant beech – there’s Voodoo

Queen of Arkansas (Who-

Who... her seedy owl’s with Mike

now – harps in D.C. laurel branches)...

& Hobo Henry, leaning

back to earth (sing

resurrection, buried man) – launches

out on rolling River of Dreams

(with mazy crane dance

in a prairie trance).

E pluribus unum, Roger Williams...

muttering like young apple leaves

from a root in the grave,

out of lips keen to save.

One perfect notion... (so Hart believes).

5.12.16