dinner

was a fine affair that swung in the sidewise pendulums
balanced on a fulcrum

but we were all there
alcoves of talk
and stuff

somehow we wanted to keep the moment
or was it that we wanted moments to keep?
however
it happened that we gathered
taking pictures of our various faces
heads spiralling into each others'

the camera offered eighteen kinds of distortions

collisions, aliens, mumps
strange kindred were made of us

and we laughed
and we laughed

grace

enough to let pleasantness descend

the smell of coffee in the air
sunlight waking the colors

even in the cramped breath
of six to a room, two by three

there is room enough
to snag a stranger with a cup

now there are seven of us
in one breath

green

once, i was asked in a walk in a woods
how many shades of green do you see?
suddenly
more than my eyes can remember,
i have to hold them beside each other to confirm
but surely more than seven

no longer leaves

they were more green than they ever were

elswhere you told me
more than anything else you are green
i never asked you that question in the woods

but even there, i'd still see you

even if you are green

how much?

three fourths of an inch
is how much
enough to not touch
to stay
three fourths an inch away

said

fell like final
announcement, glass on carpet, not shattering
nothing broken

said

lump, in the throat, in the chest,
in the breast,

said

tendrils of weed insinuate
insinuate the tightest rock

said

not fragmenting, these pieces held
held, held

said

inspite, despite, to spite

nothing.

abase abase abase myheart beats
seasonseasonseasons crackedwood grey
old as old as
oh
old