hills – other animals

who knows if this design will agree to
finally fly but the caves in
the round curves of the vast rolling
hills of the summer clouds call so
sweetly to the lonely bird in my chest

up and down hills like rustic bread we keep the elixir safe

(First published in Bones.)

riding the hills of Hellas I think of
. The landscape rich with bright
rock parting soil old pines older
mountains. That alphabet’s sounds
and symbols that with a little practice

our tour guide’s tense wanders—
Persephone is going to be taken
the world has been punished
Xerxes again is moving on Athens
Odysseus will have a clever idea

loud and sure sun on white stone
the temple of Zeus here
and in ruins

rain runs through the hills a harpsichord

folds of a dress
in an old painting
the southern hills

a row of birds still in the sun before the dark hills