Modern – OSH

Stars (05.29.26)

Their skin loosens on painted hills

       that God kisses.

her paintset sits facing the wonder,

pastels and oils smeared again

       by fingers and horsehair. 

    wet by her grandmother’s tears–

Untitled (06.01.26)

I met a 

     little girl 

       in your heart

        a sweet sunset dances

     only a sweet miles away 

    He sits on a 

     porch swing, bare

      toes on Her addled wood

while He watches,

a  little mist, a love’s water, a lover’s colors. 

03-06 (06.09.26)

That the Father trembled, his hand

       spot-red inside of his catcher’s mitt, his

watchers glove red-coiled with

       so many rounds of 30-06

you ask him

  if the daylight ever gave up,

     if blank heat knew so many words for an

angel.

       I asked the earth

  about condemning the word, “Stone”.

martyrs knew me, I came

       with some symbol pointed at the Heavens.

springs ran crimson like blood my mother

       forgot. why does no one speak of her 

anymore? cinching my waist under two buttons–

       white lamb, pass me a cigarette like I keep

the word

       in rocks under my chin.

Caroling with an angel (06.27.26)

I sing on doorsteps without you,

      wondering where you left to,

     caroling with an angel. 

Untitled (06.28.26)

Vexatia of powerlessness – 

a tiger-lilly’s starlight,

a word-gnome’s collusion and vile temptation – 

to use the fingers that sew

to brush upon her speckled cheeks

a beauty’s powder,

a little less blue,

a little more pink.

Untitled (07.12.26)

Find your favorite vampire.

tell her that she looks beautiful

for her age.

Heaven (07.14.26)

God

   had 

      a dream 

 about you. 

Untitled (09.10.26)

I missed you last night.

my body misses you. 

my stomach misses you. 

my chest misses you.

rings glimmer in starlight.

I hear a magpie’s spangled call

at the last.

Untitled (07.16.26)

Whose lips I know,

       that tooth I love,

               those words we spoke

               for just a moment longing —

       the time without you  —

ode to the years 

   too long for my soul,

except that I don’t doubt God,

and I don’t doubt love,

and I don’t doubt you. 

Untitled (07.15.26)

“How does it feel,” she asked,

       “to be the luckiest man alive?”

                    “the devil’s been paid.  .  .  I know

        the devil’s been paid.”

I rearrange shadow and lightening — 

craftsmanship, they called it.

       craft of sages, words, and weapons —

she’s dismissive of stirrups and enlightened

       to callouses. I  pat her on the ass  whole-heartedly,

       right there on the ass. 

Untitled (07.19.26)

Give me a while

       at your breast,

set me in Grandmother’s crib

       at night.

I sleep silently, silent

         as the owl. 

Untitled (07.20.26)

Joy from the rafters,

       incest and ceremony —

         malevolence clawed out

             of some merciless cocophony.

                    without will

I trudge will-less-ly,

   and damned to be tried,

silt and smoke, flood and fire

       so far from the love of GOD

        in the remembrance of words

         that whole worlds fall to dark chasms in ether 

            of ceremony, and they remember not. 

Untitled (07.22.26)

I love you like a fat kid

                 loves cake. 

I’ve gained twenty-four 

        pounds 

since June. do you love fat kids. . .

Untitled (07.23.26)

 I forgot to say, “I love you,” today.

     did I forget,

      or did I forget

       to forgive you

        for forgetting

 yesterday?  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.  

Untitled (07.24.26)

In dreams rehearsed since

   your first night in the dark,

     your spectacular lace of silver and gold,

 the tiara that 

      my heart wants 

       to see on always and always, always —

   the way we weep from our seats 

the way we stand on our feet of 

    ovation 

Untitled (07.30.26)

      Waking up with an early love,

       an early chirping love. we awaken

          to sing with the chirping of angels. 

Dadly Affirmation #1 (08.01.26)

I am:

         manly.

                     commanding. 

                                              capable of wrastling

                                              six children to do 

                                            something simultaneously

                                         such as walk in a 

                                      particular direction. 

I am:

               Dad    

To do today #1 (08.02.26)

1. kiss her
2. tell her how beautiful she is
3. rest her head on my lap
4. watch her favorite show 
5. run my fingers through her hair                                           

Ladycake (08.05.26)

Sophia, can I eat your ladycake?

       my love, let me eat your ladycake.

there’s no cake I’d rather take,

       so let me eat your ladycake.