A Figure for Relativism

One summer's mind had forgotten rain
while its memory burned: forest pine and fir
set down plume in the coastal mainland,
made equal embers of the sun and moon.

Stacking the Deck

Between Bird

By the good drumming, capricious drumming,
you know the pileum sail, the torch head
storied wood and shade are flummoxed at, this
coat hook and door knock, rising giddy trill,
speeding up the dead tree rot, riveting bill;
tilting tomahawk athwart, at home in
vertical up-hop axis, listening
to timber cores, close to the crevices,
crasher to fans of the firs, with tittering
wings and strange aim, messy and meticulous,
proves no place his gauntlet who pocks
the skulking grubs from dark: larval tweak and peck
his chip-tossing labour; his dynamic neck
like Rublev's Savior, suppleness uncontested:
the flex of freedom he calls singly from
an unbreakable bridge between heart and head.

Who Follow

Wanderers have made swales in the stone stairs
in Jerusalem's dolorosa;
harrow of their penitence and prayers
lithoed to melt, candled to cry hosanna.

Water garments like flags at fountain side,
roots of knees to fuel the blooming deltoids,
with thrashing paddle on the tablet's hide
they've washed and world left; footing fuller's joy.

Last instant that his feet felt earth, the Son
left imprints on the hard hill; blameless soles
pierced and holy, that were ever missioned,
that dunned went to the soiled, and water strode.

Quarried crown in turn with pilgrim touching,
as sculptures whittled to bone at the woundings,
has gristed, hollowed more the mastered rock;
by the small who follow him, little flock.