poem: october fest

all saints hearts saint----
heart, the pillow briar i sleep
with every nite this year,
a finger in my thimble,

thumbs in ears
for the muffled voice of my love
the bitter tongues of madness:
talk i cannot bear to hear.

this marriage makes me witness.
i am cowardly. i am a coward.
cover me, cover me briar!
if my eyes bleed i cannot be blamed.

hold the bare October trees
push head into the ink spot evening
let the air make me cold
where cold freezes flame:

let my whisper be sane.
the prayer of non believer
the rosary beads round my neck
each round and swollen with your name.

this chill surrounds my breath.
i am alone in this forest hunt.
the family is scattered and scarred
a nest of tree stumps:

i run my hands over each wound
press my lips to the worst of the cost.
the sky tesseracts over me:
all is not lost.