Don’t Look Down (fugue)

Don’t look down, he is
the last good result
marked with asterisks;

he remembers a raw,
reposed heart

and small cigarette drains
in excess of the part
retained as a part.

—

Retained as a part
in excess of the part,
small cigarettes drain
the reposed heart;

he remembers it raw,
marked with asterisks,
the last good result.

Don’t look down; he is.

-C.S. Henderson

Solid as a flock of sparrows
you’ll come back
pinioned. Is it safe to infer
that hands are not wings? Even
uncertain, I know stretched
from certainty about how to
contain myself. I know I speak
but the air would not go
where I want it to go.
Will I be forced to dress
my hands for another
when I am stretched and old?

*See: 7/22/2011

-C.S. Henderson

When I am old, stretching
out my hands for another
to dress me, will I be forced
to go where I do not want
to go? I know the air would not
contain me, I know I speak
from certainties about the
uncertain, I know stretched
hands are not wings even
pinioned. Is it safe to infer
that you’ll come back as
solid as a flock of sparrows?

-C.S. Henderson

Fugue pt. 2

To bay at the moon
And beat the bones
Your ancestors
Dig up
The wild gods,
Laughing at
The written tombs
For having big emotions.
Babies, big words,
And bird down
Protest wolfing
Raw, uncooked eggs.
Towns of ice
Boom into dreams
With a cup of coffee
And a hangover.

*See: Fugue pt. 1

-C.S. Henderson

Fugue pt. 1

Hung over
A cup of coffee,
Dream of boom
Towns of ice.
Raw, uncooked eggs
Protesting the wolf with
Down of bird
Babies with big words.
Having big emotions
Written on a tomb
Is laughing at
The wild gods
Who dig up
Your ancestors
And beat the bones
To bay at the moon.

*See: Fugue pt. 2

-C.S. Henderson