THE LETTER S

THE LETTER S

What separates the word desert

from something sweet 

is the slithering S-curve 

of snake tracks in the sand
Leonard writing rebuttals in the green grass 

reflected on convex lenses covering the eye.

Eyes – the addiction of sight 

in the twin lakes of horses and cows 

verdant green mirrored blades of grass 

stabbing the blue sky.

The letter S has no forgiveness, 

no consciousness of desert sands 

or a dessert peach 

But one S, singular – 

the second S changes the meaning, 

gives plurality, 

gives possession and ownership 

to the concept previously implied 

in the word preceding it.

Snakes go blind during summer molt, 

shedding even the skin over their eyes, 

in their hot blindness they strike out anything warm.

Cows easily slip into the past 

their prehensile gray tongues covert only grass
the cloven hooves of cows, camels, goats, deer, sheep, 

ungulates who ruminate – chew their cud.

Sheep pressed closer to the earth, 

they're always trying to get closer to the source, 

and they forget to move

Horses, have you ever watched 

how they tear the tops of grasses,

there is always on the next clump of grass, 

their fluid joints making popping sounds

as they shift towards the next elusive hummock of grass.

Eyes are mirrors, all of us carry death within us.
It is it is a privilege to see the milk-blue eyes of babies, 

unfocused, half blind, as they gain age, 

the focus sharpens, the clarity sharpens, 

images fall into place and the foraging begins.

4/15/1982
also a prose poem, there's also a poem version....somewhere.

added 9/2016

Leonard's rebuttal poem to mine