earth note 108

last planting
before an indecisive winter

a couple of young alberta spruce
small spiral dense green needles
having wandered home
to a wet ground sanctuary
& mission
to hold
body-block
a slipping hillside
interdependence
tho the paranoid rail
all is futile
we’re lost
‘cept for the waiting

i refuse to accept this

--- e b bortz

subliminal message

it seems
keeps poking itself
into morning
or is it night
as every voice speaks
in the past tense
though it may
be the present

a glassy gulf of thailand heat wave
gathers water
drops
find secluded orchid patches
to breathe
but i’m afraid of nodding off
& missing sunset

snow crust creaks at zero degrees f
ski tracks weave minnesota poplar
pine & peat bogs
perfect shadows
mostly cloudless blue
a small strong sun
chases storm clouds east

the voices only have faces
mouths that move
but no sound
i’m thinking these must be
perfect love songs
no one can hear
least not me
lips shaped full
wet
smooth dark
hot red
silence

--- e b bortz