I.  Two Rivers

((two rivers meet where the water is warm))
((blackberries stain my childish hands))

- a tapestry of memory of temperature
that I can nary forget nor Remember
(we saw) two rivers cross
one from the valley
one from up on the rocks
one streamed cold, one streamed hot
in a blackberry forest
I saw the two rivers join into one

((father killed a snake with his bare hands))
((blackberries on my tongue under the sun))

 it must’ve been the sun on the hill in Montana
the grass under my hands
and my mother, and my father
it reminded me of the blackberries
& the Washington
midlands
I remember when-
               the blackberries stained my hands
& the water that I washed in then
was Cold on one hand was Hot on the other
you were angry; you were angry-

               but the memory is only blackberries

my father the fire
               my mother the earth
my father the water
               my mother the earth
my father the shadow
               my mother the earth

                              …

if I could sing this to the boy in Washington,
he might understand better the mountain.

II.  New Earth

((the trees are indifferent
to boys and girls who tried to put up a fight
but were too bereft of soul))

                              …

I watched the dust settle
then I ran for the trees
in the dark cave
mother bear embraced me
it wasn’t easy to shed what I believed
               but I did

I don’t believe in a Christ that I can see
weren’t u the one who said-
if you meet me
kill me on the spot?
for if you don’t you will fall for trickery
               & they did

you were the torrent
in the forest
I was the ice
that carved the language
(of love)
in the rock bed
of the valley where we met

& what about the aftermath?
the placement of the wedding mat?
the grief & heaving
as the earth lay bleeding

(what was lost)

to build a new earth
doesn’t mean we have to shoot first

                              …

((will you murder me?))
((will u murder me?))