HEART THREAD Parts Twenty-Three and Twenty-Four

23.

in mem. M.R.K.

Who did you want to be mother

I saw the queenly countenance old
photo

those eyes knew me from another place
before I was

I knew I never understood and do not
know

how a star person consents to earth
beast life

all the doors of fairyland open
outward

to open my life a mouth among stars

to give a voice to what is never
silent

to answer the tower when it falls

to kiss the acrobat in mid-flight

touch each tessera in the dome of
light

this machine will be my faithful
son.

24.

For we are various and beautiful and
dumb

as an outfielder the clouds abaft the
east

a language of dwarves a language of
giants

I want to know what this very light
is called

this Sunday light island light land
light

broken china on the kitchen floor a
song

at savage theaters bareback
tragedians

give them words and leave the deeds
to them

there is no action like a heartbeat

wet tea leaves in a sieve the
resinous mind

be wishful what you care for the sea

endures what we say of it all talk no
listening.

ROBERT
KELLY