Pink Petals Tumble from the Envelope
He writes to tell me cherry blossoms
sweeten the air between us. Pink petals
tumble from the envelope.
He writes of Virgil, cruelties, widows of dead heroes.
It’s all war and the fecundity
of blueberries.
Why make plastic birds when real ones are right here singing?
he writes. Toy soldiers?
I understand he only loves
the ruined earth. Let us
go singing as far as we go.
He writes, Above all I trust bees, they sting
then give me honey.
We spar the edge of love.
I send honeyed fingerprints.
He sends downy feathers from a robin’s nest.
I send the breath of autumn as it arrives.
He sends a 5-7-5-7-7 tanka.
This is his 42¢ way out but I won’t have it.
I send soil made rich by voles.
He sends the nest, dismantled.
He writes to tell me cherry blossoms
sweeten the air between us. Pink petals
tumble from the envelope.
He writes of Virgil, cruelties, widows of dead heroes.
It’s all war and the fecundity
of blueberries.
Why make plastic birds when real ones are right here singing?
he writes. Toy soldiers?
I understand he only loves
the ruined earth. Let us
go singing as far as we go.
He writes, Above all I trust bees, they sting
then give me honey.
We spar the edge of love.
I send honeyed fingerprints.
He sends downy feathers from a robin’s nest.
I send the breath of autumn as it arrives.
He sends a 5-7-5-7-7 tanka.
This is his 42¢ way out but I won’t have it.
I send soil made rich by voles.
He sends the nest, dismantled.