At the beginning I noticed

the huge stones on my path

I knew instinctively

why they were there

breathing as naturally

as animals

I moved them to ritual patterns

I abraded my hands

and made blood prints

Last week I became

aware of details

cubes of fool’s gold

green and blue copper

crystal formations

fossils    shell casts

iron roses     candied gems

I thought of

the Empress Josephine,

the Burni...

I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,

And Mourners to and fro

Kept treading — treading — till it seemed

That Sense was breaking through —

And when they all were seated,      

A Service, like a Drum — 

Kept beating — beating — till I thought      

My mind was going numb —

And then I heard them lift a Box     

And creak across my Soul

With those same Boots of Lead, again,     

Then Space — began to tol...