Holy Ghost

Holy Ghost 5/20

1 : Water

I walk into the East River

The Brooklyn Bridge protects the mouth of this great country

Everything is sweeping lines – here is sky broken into angles, here is water rushing into the world

Gape and yawn – it is morning come down, shattered on every footpath and broken up for starlings to eat, greedy fuckers

The cold on my legs is so Atlantic – I remember this, it is the same water banging up against Wales, it is the same that got me in Virginia with those horseshoe crabs and jellyfish broken to pieces on the shore

It is the same storm


2 : Fire

Tongues as of fire – it is a field of dry stalks – it is burning – each bit going from straw to charcoal to that mute black that reflects no light – the hollow collapse as you break it in your hands – it all comes off under your nails


3 : Air

Starlings have oil slick feathers
They car alarm and pick at trash outside my apartment
Green, purple now night, silver

This city is the rush of a mighty wind
Each building a masted ship with sails blazing
Gulls glide overhead before they tilt towards sea

Arms to the side and marching
Eyes forward projecting armor, anger, interior calmness
I want to play airplanes with a child, but the mother runs them along

Here is a bench painted glossy black
Eyes reflect near the bolts, winking as leaves shadow puppet
I will sit until my mood comes off, until I molt and can fly