Fire Face

Unadorned
strip down
take off your horns
cap and crown
give away your halo
leave just what was
always there
light without shadow

I can’t be certain
but I believe
for some reason
I found you alone
talking on the phone
unwrapped exposed
unmeasured
yet on we go

Bewildered
naming the tide
this aviary stone
this tree bone
this immense disk
of salt rippled blue
eventually we become
what we pay attention to

Honest I promise
at least be true
and honestly
you’re a natural
at making time
desires’ prodigy
I’ll step along with you

I will listen
begin again anew
another day to get through
seven minutes from home
fire falls from fire
onto pale tinder
unable to radiate
only reflect what is received

Sunlight however old
makes of me
a white wrapped column
moving through necessity
dilation compression
who knows how old time is
pulled ever new into now

Wildfire in the canyon
field and forest conflagration
summershine occluded
all there is
is smoke
vocabulary of missing you
details of what burned away
or just died

Desire describes very well
but cannot do
voracious as a burning forest
she knows what is necessary
but not the way
lost
heaping ashes on her head
chanting rain damn it rain

When the rain arrives
I am on the porch
Buck stops by
crazy eyed and hungry
face down in a bowl
he doesn’t care
prodigal drops descending
white light lashing

Seven seconds of stillness
flickering house lights announce
the performance
silent audience anticipates
what kind of show
they are attending
then thunder shakes
today awake

Stranger with dark eyes
under an umbrella
passing by
mimics my lips
cheek contraction
teeth revealed
signaling connection
rather than aggression

Monkeys in the rain
she raises her hand
gesture of I see you
acknowledging the fact
we are together
all wet and thunderstruck
windowpanes rattle
today has just begun

I said I would listen
not because
what you have to say
is inevitable
or necessary
I just like to watch
how much you enjoy
gravity

You have your reasons
but they are not the cause
a bell struck
rings a note
you want to sound
and I want to listen
say whatever you want
the words are unimportant

They can mean anything
if this were not true
there would be as many words
as there are things
but you get by with just a few
slim dictionary
say anything
we both understand

What needs to happen
union at the end of it all
but until then
talk to me
tell me what you need
if you want
detail what is missing
if you need to

Describe what cannot have a name
let her speak her emptiness
I will listen
but we have had that conversation
many times already
often daily
scorched earth and battle scars
blame fate or fortune or the stars

I understand cindered words
but all days blaze away
raise your hand
touch me or
wave at the void
invite surrender
a friendly gesture
I am not afraid

Be here now
you fire in the rain
I am always
listening.