Hunger

1.

The hummingbirds keep coming

long past sunset Until the moon

is a pearl tossed up

by the river A midnight blue

possibility

2.

The solitary raccoon

does not exist until

you call out its name

and then the small marauder

becomes a thin creature

nervous and intent

digging in the mud

along the grassy shore

of the river

Crunching what it rakes up

in its furious jaws

ears pricked for the sound

of hounds

The moon rises

putting out our eyes

3.

Deep dark lit by porch light

the flying squirrel arrives

and dines on sunflower seeds

from the feeder

Eavesdropping on the faint

sound of seeds

being cracked open

we close our eyes and sleep

~ ~ ~ ~

December, Moon of Sacrifice

for Elena and Sophia

When rivers freeze in their beds

and trees explode in the cold

my heart is wood well-seasoned for the fire

My daughter and mother

lost to me and to each other

in this moon of funeral pyres

Just now on community radio

a Cherokee mourning song

primes my tears

Ma-ma ma-ma

your daughter misses you

A single starling feather

drifts down

with the falling snow

~ ~ ~ ~

The Lessons We Choose

for Larry

While you learn to speak

the language of swans

and I to love

what is difficult

the world and its terrible

intimacy of strangers

shipwrecked and marooned

on the rocks of a bleak shore

is always with us

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Goose Girl Speaks

First the long sleep of winter

gripped by ice and dreaming

of the iron stove

Three drops of blood

on the white handkerchief of snow

Then such an abundance of geese and swans

who can imagine the great gaggle

of sound rising Throats feet wings

pushing at water flapping

north to the light

north! Birthing spring

which circles

the world this lake

Melting a welcome

for those dark and ancient shapes

who arrive

Falada the horse

whole

and ready

to ride

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
return to top of page

©Copyright by Christina Pacosz