Migration

 An entire species of beast forms one dark cloud

Storming on piquant hooves across the prairie (fallow) plain

Heaving against/breathing earthen breast;

Echoes of the monarch’s—

A wisdom in the wings

Sings meconium into venation structure

Fluctuating with a sensitivity

To conditions.

Nothing more than

An interest:

(she heard

(inner rest)

…at the frequency which these

(alas) open rhythmic-

the same blink and gentle gesture,

inviting validation

:down to those whose song of brine and breach swims northward

:flirting with birds above airily carried across the mesquite arenas

by drunken flap and mishap,

and only after

climbing clouds, stumbling over secret currents,

the light—

:on grey mock muddle,

huddle between the pages of

blue eucalyptus notes

to lay a cheek against a stem—

(nod or bow)

gratitude,

:in keeping,

with

those who dare to cool

a flushed face

against the spine of a lover.

…

Fin rise,

Ache from the tightened chest,

And migrate when the sunlit curiosity

Of compassion cannot keep quiet.

spare elipses

She has told me before

The pebbles on the shore

Are simply spare ellipses;

She learned

to read

And I realize

she has known

The knots in the planks are punctuation

For the stretched

type, face,

Of pattern in the grained boards

Beneath rough-hewn hands and calloused hopes

She has always

The understanding

That yellow tanager

Sings the report

reading the blossoms

and cotyledons

as vowels and consonants,

respectfully,

on the orchard page;

--I would have guessed

had I imagined--

She learned punctuation from the freckles

That formed

under my kisses

where her skin cautiously absorbed my sunlit hopes

That became melanized while she slept in

Wept moonlight

she sings the words

from beyond the pages of

love songs and lullabies

To herself knowing

Full/well

They are the same thing.