remembering
your tropical dream
fly—now—
to the south

your heart
turned
to a hard green
stone—“what about
me?  what
about me?”—
must learn to make
offerings

the clenched fist
can only struggle
to hold on
it cannot receive

what nourishes the dead?
what keeps us
fat and happy?

the fire
of your prayerful
words
                      1/21/2005