Month: October 2011

(About) the Heroine

Every book needs a heroine. The chapters of
history would yellow and crack without them.
Western border towns would shiver in their
river bottoms and not know why. Eastern
skies would empty their pockets of blue.

Librarians believe in heroines. They know why
heroines catching your stare, stare right back
and invite you in. Dreams are more memorable
with heroines. As are laundry rooms, Bimini tops
and just around the corner.

Heroines have vices. Seductive charms.
Whiskey. Many of them wear shirts with
snaps and familiar patterns. They are not
afraid to cry uncontrollably in the middle of
dinner. With or without wasabi.

Miss
i.

lately,
we’ve called ourselves names
we knew
in high school.

before statements
and vehicles thought
to measure worth.

I wonder,
have we fallen into
or out of

truth?

Still
i.

She was

not
interested in new and
improved, organic
double-roll, special edition limited-time
offers of
now 30% more
minus rebate in
hand-written envelopes personally addressed to herself or
mailboxholder.

She did not even want
a kiss.

Return
i.

Darkest dawn of
even
darker night.
Spanning wings
of angels caught
mid-flight.


Sprinkle dust
of bones from those
who leap–


Prayer blankets
now, for
secrets
held too deep.


Spellbound by trees
we walk
on
riverbed below


No separation left, no
effort keeping
earthy mold
from promised
light.


Only faces.
Warmed by
memory
of you,


the
kindling


of life.