Solomon's Spring (April 26): Ten Tercets and a Postscript*
(i)
come to my garden
and sing for love
all the pretty birds are
(ii)
sit on the grass and do nothing
by nothing, I mean listen to the birds
hurry before the rain
(iii)
tattoo this morning on your soul
a hundred simple wrens, that theatrical cardinal
to the pure of heart, THIS is the news
(iv)
there's nothing left to say
the only reason for songs and such
and crisscrossing the pale blue sky
(v)
there are two great commandments
feed your daughter, hug her, and say "drive safely"
the second is like unto it--praise the downy woodpecker
(vi)
Frost saw much but birds see this much more
good fences are like poems
places to perch and talk to neighbors
(vii)
the bravest of the little foxes
belly up in the sun
breathing thank you thank you thank you I'm beautiful**
(viii)
so then you get dog tired, really
cuddle up with Rorie
and dream of squirrels falling from trees
(ix)
all day long the birds chirping about sex
mocking all our metaphysics
soaring above our thoughts of heaven
(x)
night comes to the stubborn sun-blessed garden
but the birds sing sanctus through the dark
for today's first lilac flowers and the rain so soon to
fall
(postscript)
so. all things will be changed forever
may my tired skin sail up on downy feathers
to sing and preen and finally nest with Love
*in praise of birds, who once ruled the world, and, as far as they know, still do
**thank you Michele Pinkham for your fox
