july

hope like the river’s bends

rinsing smoldering vials of sin

tirelessly through endless season

eyes bright and brand new

each fresh dawn, always

woven into a veil of peace

concentrated servant-song

shaped to replace rusted nails

anointed in a humming home

my knuckles bleed

into the mortar of your brick

weeding your tares diligently

against the sleepless call of high sun

fullness blooms in long dog days

angel’s trumpet takeover

sink asunder, smoke trailing thunder

ghosts the graves beneath the hanging tree

the ants in the snail shell rebuke the rain

for the sake of your bones

and blackberries kiss barbed wire

and wisteria vines eat awnings

and wrought-iron cages tempt the mourning

with weal and woe and wonderment

volcanic skylines red-blue blending

bombs quake the midnights

moonshiner shacks and castles

ringing resentment and raising rogues

little biomes sighing in unison

under blankets of ocean-black dark;

we are home

and may we never defy what is Written

or contort the image, or count our scars

but know i’d kill the morning glories, still

should it please you

gut the copperhead of your wedding band

should it please you

and tear it all down from the inside out

and build all anew, to solemnly suit you

and if my love is found unclean still

submit reverently to will

on this path, here

to be buried where i release you