Mortar and Pestle --

can you be

the Essence of Desire -- its

comical Upheaval beating

on these Shores?

We stand agape and Yawp

this Song

of all our Selves gone wandering

in the Reeds; what

sort of child

retracts his story from Shame? Is he

lost in the Woods

succumbing to feral dignity? He has

taken berries

from the Raven's beak like some lost Jacob atoning

for our Sins this chimerical imp

our Joy and Burden; he plays

chorales in his head tapping out one-two, three--

four this Rock study

Engraving of metal in Earth pure child

of the Upswing -- What

form of Rule accedes before

the Fates here

to lay Ruin to another Empire our hearts enlarged

and distant

with the day's discourse?