Swan

Swan skull,

You've been cleaned
with care
by the smallest ones
your head is blank now
whiter than
your cloak
has ever been
your beak still
ready to speak,
hesitating between
ivory, snow or
vanilla ice-cream

Amongst those who know
about water standing still
you're the greatest

Heronville

My favourite hunter,
My prehistoric alarm clock,
My clumsy flyer,
My fellow oak-sitter,

I know the colour
of your tongue
and how the world
turns flat again
when we are facing
each other

Once you were guiding me
through the wetlands in despair
it was you who brought me
home in the pouring rain,
you who showed me
the rocky quality of
one-leggedness,
you who taught me
to love this city,
this Heronville.

Courthouse Wash

Cactus needle
ground me

So here's your slickrock
around the non-clock
the grass says hop hop
and the worries stop
home is the body land
home is the red sand
to disappear into the dark
to reappear into the light
who, tell me who
is howling through the night
you keep on drinkin'
you keep on sinkin'
everything turns white

I am out of my mind
        into my soul
blissfully lost control
                       whole

I am the inner tracker
dream of a Swedish cracker
sleep under crypto cover
this soil is my lover

lizzard laughter
ever after
life is a magnet
a giant fragment
so here I'm standin'
no more demandin'
just receivin'
no more grievin'

cause when the heart explodes
and the beauty floats
complex decodes

wings sing spring

when the snakes no longer hide
it is your turn to decide
to slow it down
to slow it down
follow the compass
put on the north dress
taste the smell of sage and age
have a party in your cave
juniper bench joy
trust is right here boy

Bats dance
Dusk trance
Valley belly
Live magically