UNDER THE FOUL MARBLE OF JUNE SKIES, and LOOKING EAST, automatic writing

UNDER THE FOUL MARBLE OF JUNE SKIES
                        —for Jason, who was a sailor

                            (from a visual translation of Rimbaud's Fleurs)

Beyond the greasy corduroy gaze of skies,
green velour over stormy seas,
and crystal waves of flotsam bronzed by sunsets
an ordinary fleece floats on the surface.

The digital voices of harpies
like flagrant sergeants floating in the shipping lanes
clicking a welcome to oil tankers
and, asleep, you sail past the gates of Hercules.

Beyond the Golden Gate where ocean agates and akajou pillars
support the emerald dome of sky,
night virgins, smelling of roses, joust for rubies
under bouquets of white satin clouds.

Tell me, what can you do with these enormous fleets?

Blue sheep, and various forms of night.

The ceiling of the sea is tired and harassed.

Under the foul marble of June skies

40 roses are blooming on golden sheepskins
while Jason sleeps.

11/1981
added 10/16

LOOKING EAST

Looking east along the quaking river,
mouse whiskers tremble in the breeze.

Tiny tracks are seen in the silt along the shore.

The ivy creeps along the stone faces
and takes root in the fissures of memory.

Herons silently spear fish is in the shallow sandbars.
Along the bank, sunflowers hide their heads, afraid of ivy.

This coiled river bends almost back on itself
like a blind snake ready to strike.

It runs north, south, then west to the ocean
and its cloudy surface, gray like the coats of mice,
trembles in the slightest breeze.

While overhead, an osprey waits patiently
for the surface to clear.

11/1981
added 10/16

Automatic writing

Summer birds singing 

dark sunlight 

navy blue bell tolls 

sweet dust motes drifting 

Jason passing the gates of Hercules 

picture perfect meadows 

baby birds 

butterflies sinking ships 

large bells 

soaring kites 

bluebells 

tree sparrows 

the ocean pounding on the sides of the glass 

hummingbirds hovering on the brink of a waterfall 

ship horns cutting through the fog 

baby sparrows 

thunder crashing on the right 

carnavals in the rain 

the elephants are escaping 

tigers with wet feet 

elephants afraid of mice 

rain dripping over the edge of my collar 

lightning 

I am afraid of thunder 

slow breathing of streams after rain

11/24/1981

added 10/16