Trees and Ghosts (2010)

Just back from clarity's clashing wood on woodgrain scream,

but see the fingers shimmer in the branches

flicker linger even now

strings flock and shimmer too deep and out

who knows what we are inside of

like violin bows raked slowly along the inside of my eggs

and then that earthquake of violet storming banishment

fingers lightly drawn across the Ouija board – ghosts fly in knock the lit lamp over into darkness

and we lie down

the living and the dead

feeling the golden glossed wooden floor against our palms at once

the floor November at once the floor May.

Vanish dreamed mucous down my linger lingeresss

Just back from Winter bright and swaying

into night afterhours dangerous

spring breaking up with sudden ground asserting itself in green

and staining our knees our eyes with blood brown recklessness

rising into June's hazy sex appeal appealing into

three trees cracking and falling into sudden storms

disappeared into night

two trips sweating and running with spiders slapping our faces

from those same trees the trees saying everything

we wore fine sweat all summer like elegances sweeping down our hands lacy silky – what are those things ---

and one same moon clanging back and forth

flesh full and falling

But see the ghost of the bathhouse on Edgewater beach

looming high like a weaver as I walked

avoiding its sunwhite howling

my green umbrella makes me feel not like the Stranger

but like a stranger to my fellows and more at home with ghosts

I called them spontaneously

I know it's reckless to call ghosts but the pressure was on and I had to call something,

There is only one thing taboo to ceremonial magicians, not blood on glass or babies' hair, but--calling on  ghosts is repellent to them --- not because ghosts are powerful enough to be dangerous,

but because they're dirty – they're tricky, they have nothing to offer, manipulative sacks of needy aunts, pervert uncles and sly genies

but I call them because they are nature,

in nature weaved into nature like this air that I lean on,

 this wood that lives in houses,

like the hairs on caterpillars that make us love them,

even though we know they aren't mammals

but there is a way in which they are mammals anyway.

But see Two trees twisted like brothers like lovers and even trees know about it

-      they stand so still and watch so closely with eyes that are infinite pores – they know about love. married people need to watch trees

-      because married people could grow like two small branches apart that want to fuse together or at least twist up, but who instead grow ice that covers and becomes glass impermeable

-      – married people become dangerous to each other when there is too much to be done to work together

-      – they become two  feelers covered in suffocating plastic this is you and that is me and I did this but you did that

-      oh the ache of another pulling the plastic back and loving

-      the wooden fibers inside, stroking them - it's too dangerous for married people – taboo – the competition moved in between them – we can't even dance here – even dancing is taboo. At least there is the neti pot in one nostril and out the other and all sound becomes  the steady mouthbreathing like a child alone in a pool looking under the lip into the painted wall it draws your attention to the gloss that breathes in and out the third eye.

Pigeons have silver necks and coo coo coo – they lived in my roof growing up, my folks let the redneck wolf next door shoot at them sometimes because

they shit too much up there white shit hanging from the roof like icing,

but pigeons might be doves for all I know about the fauna of Ohio

-      what about all the human shit in New Jersey now – don't they send it to Ohio – import? Protectionism – there's enough shit in Ohio.

-      Let the deer wolves pigeons be and go and shit for once –

-       the pigeons and the sea gulls meet in the

-      parking lot that is a big part of the park at Edgewater park – the

-      gulls could leave to other seas,

-      the pigeons could leave for other cities – but they live here

-      with us and the oaks and those other trees

-      whatever flora in Ohio up outside of the water –

-       some people call pigeons and seagulls flying rats,

-      they have that  in common but I think it's too dismissive –

-      I wouldn't have a rat for a pet but so many people I know would –

-      it's probably more natural for people to live with rats anyway like cats and dogs than ferrets or snakes, rats go with people, too.