The
Pen
Inky-hearted
reed,
you trace a quest
along a lean road.
You round earth's curves,
chase a light behind the sun.
You bleed and words blossom.
Faithful follower, once I had a whim
to reverse our order and let you lead
down a hidden path. In a clearing
stood my heart's desire.
He turned and looked at me
with eyes that startled words
into a flock of rising birds.
Ode
to the Mouth
The first
mouth yawned and gobbled
a neighbor. Swallowing, it evolved ravening
mind, a long history of chomping ensued,
hunger growing complex
with its ransacking tools.
Becoming by eating, full mouth yawned
and spewed pterodactyls,
snails, bacteria, hogs, palms.
Disgorged a world in toothy vowels.
Recreation in speech, babbling mouth
paired and compared, learning
by warring. Once again mouth yawned
and raised the pitch
as poetry set its gentle foot
on eaten earth, aligned mayhem in rhythm
and watched it rise,
musing, amused, in music.
Copyright © 2000 Rachel Dacus
