I wake up trembling
Time vibrating, tolling
Like a church bell
(2)
I see you standing there
dressed in yellow, arms raised -
backlit translucent butter muslin
Visions pulsing like stars before my eye:
You, with red hair in a fluffy coat
You, in sky blue crêpe party dress -
toggled at the neck in amber
You, in a silk dress, smiling -
he stoops, his arm slung
around your shoulders
You, standing straight and crisp
in your blue uniforn
silver buckle belted
 |
| A Place For Naming |
(3)
The third of four children,
I slipped out barely noticed
among the dogs of war
and other fine distractions.
Later on I made you tea
and passed hard tests,
wrote so many books
just to please your heart
and catch your eye
There is the legend -
a story told so many times -
of me in your arms, you walking
to the church, waist high in snow -
to expunge your sin
and endow me with
a name made up by the man
who loved lost boys.
(4)
I see you standing here
dressed in yellow, arms raised -
all translucent butter muslin
