we all live in the garden of roses (2021)

 

Sweated in the courteous breast of Goddess Horae

a marble gate stretches in the heat of Greece.

A sea of roses lines the Garden of Flora.

 

A woman of marble who glistens olive oil

plucks up a seed from Antheia’s grasp

and returns her body to the soil.

 

She calls upon Helios to cast down his light

and bless the darling buds with gold

to become as scarlet as Ichor’s delight.

 

Aphrodite bleeds tears for her lover’s spoil

so that the petals quench their thirst

and returns her body to the soil.

 

The great lungs of The Anemoi blow aura

over the upturned hands of the blooms.

A sea of roses lines the Garden of Flora.

 

The clouded fingers of Thanatos’ coil

a withered soul to their place of rest

and returns her body to the soil.

 

A sea of roses lines the Garden of Flora.

June 29th, 1886 (2021)

 

On the warmest night of summer’s June

In the graveyard by the sailor’s dock

Under the pale struck light of the blue moon

over a sepulchre stands a nighthawk.

 

With an instrument cocooned in its hands,

And its face dug into the dirt,

the stone tooth embarks the land,

tears out the bustle of a skirt.

 

Feathers from Birds of Paradise

Scattered on a veil laced with string.

Between the grains, a finger of ice 

Bound only by a wedding ring.

 

And the shadow kneels to the bride

And plants a kiss to lay his life.

Styx and Stones (2021)

 

Without body you float to that eternal gate

to face ten faces in the heat of flames,

whom unto your judgement await.

 

Three hounds that drip with enduring fate

lay eternally to Hades’ tame,

watch as your heart fades its weight.

 

Guided on the River Styx lies in wait

a figure towering with vacant frame,

one golden coin for soul to freight.

 

A woman ripe in beauty speculates

the narrow reach for her throne to claim,

watch as your heart fades its weight.

 

Feign purpose serve to accommodate

space without age phren or name.

Whom unto your judgement await.

 

Wander Asphodel Meadows to ablate

and to those darkened hills inflame.

Watch as your heart fades it weight,

whom unto your judgement await.