Today We Die

Today We Die 

          But first 

     We dance         

          Touch

     Taste

Listen

          Peer

     Acrid poblano sage

Sweet carob rue 

He was the sweet marjoram 

of my salad, or rather, 

the herb of grace

     Fluff stuck knuckle deep 

Astringent     —tongue dance

Minty     —flute bent note

Rough toes     —heel feeling less

Less sandalwood 

Less espresso 

Movement all

Choreography of violets

Streaming gowns

Knees bent     —note note

Elbows up

Chin dip

Turn 

I like my whiskey 

And I like to dance

Oaks will grow upside down

With their roots above town

They will bleed all around 

All around and round

Merci Iesus, fiȝ Mari

As þou ert god and king of heuene

Pricks' pricks —an agenbite of inwit

     Twelve rivers lit by fire

          Dark cloud suffused

By light aware aware aware

Goat's foot and monkey's paw

Wreathéd by sun prancing

Phoenix 

And bears 

So to sleep     —asleep to dream

Trembling demons —sprinkled

Call for shadows —vines

Litanies' litany —vines

But first 

     We dance         

          Touch

     Taste

Listen

          Peer

Kiss me I'm Thomas

Kiss me I'm Thomas 

Have you any room

Table for victuals 

Tower for overwatch 

Hill to die on

Spear for the king's men

Enter here

Put your hand here

Reach in side

Where  —holiest of holy holes 

I like my whiskey 

And I like to dance

Habibi habibi —dip your cup

Yallah —fugue state

Bismalah —concerto's concerto 

Woe to me, the empty one, 

that comes empty 

to the place of the customs 

"The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, 

Allah's messenger —they slew him 

not           nor crucified him, 

but it appeared so unto them."

My twin him —Didymus