Bridle

Tied up to the fencing
enduring brutal beating
I am not the horsethief.

Paint my pony
friend from foaling
speckled hairskin like a mating
Mother Earth with Father Sky
gone a-roaming then was taken
here I tracked him to reclaim him
but I was captured too.

Now the lashing has attracted
other presence
gait uneven
little body self-flung painful
against my bloody naked back.

Blindly raging he unknowing
lands four more blows
while her crying
rains hot tears on my shoulder
salt soaks into broken skin.

Sudden stopping then a dropping
bullwhip snaking into dustcloud
beside his booted feet
she is standing
I head turning
see glitter teardrop in the corners
of his angry stormblue eyes.

Both sides bloodied
she approches
bravechin outthrust
boldly limping
hand outstretched now demanding
shrillvoiced sunny maiden
of eleven summers
leg and foot turned inward
waits atremble
while he silent
shamed shaking
hands to her his blade.

Stumps she over
empty handed touching jawline
gently turning
makes me meet the bluegazed
Wisewoman inside her
telling her the stories
that I hide behind my eyes.

Satisfied her searching
raises knife right handed
to liberate my braid
and then my bindings
holds me with her eyes.

Hair hangs loose and lifeless
til she wraps it like a promise
around her tiny wrist
blackhair bracelet for a maiden
not old enough to know.

Walks to Paint my pinto
somehow seeing which I wanted
brings him by the bridle
challenging her brother
solomn faced stands handing me
the handle on my horse.

Rise I to my feet now
tower over tiny spirit
encased in bloody nightgown
touch Paint on his shoulder
say Mine in my language
drop once more to my knees.

Gaze touching twisted leglimb
lifting up locking our sightlines
touch her back her bosom
bring fingertips to mingle
together the two essence
bled from both our bodies
touch her forehead with the blending
and then I mark my brow.

Hold her hands
one still fisted
around a short-shanked knife hilt
meet his blue eyes with my brown ones
say Mine in my language
slide bridle from my pony
watch her while we walk away.

* * * *

Braid grown again I ride back
leading four fine horses
for her brother as a brideprice
one for each snow I've waited
to claim this firey child.

Honor her bloodsister
make her into mother
cling to her handfasted
I have come to take my bride.

28 September 2003

Insecure

It's been two weeks
with no tender words from you
and how am I to know
that you miss me
when you rarely say
you miss me

I think if perhaps I'm strange
and stay away
neglect you
leave you to your ruminations
maybe you'll remember
how you once used to treat me
how you used to caress me
touch me with your eyes

hide my troubled heart
which you say I've no right to have
so I pretend I don't
though I promised no pretending
how can I keep a promise
when you prefer my lies

because shouting that I love you
doesn't seem to make a difference
whispering
I want you
brings no visible response
and you no longer sign your letters
with love and hugs and kisses
and goopy sentiment
that I'm a sucker for

perhaps it's too much trouble
for you to make an effort
perhaps your fear is greater
than your desire to express
perhaps your interest's flagging
now that I'm familiar
perhaps I don't know anything
that I thought I knew

perhaps I shouldn't yearn
to feel you reaching back
as I reach out
stretch out
pour out my heart
to you


24 September 2003

Open

Heat inside burns right through my shirt
trembling fingers open ruined garment
dip nails into the surface of my skin
peel back, peel back, exposing pack of ribs
tucking up to second knuckle
yank and crack
til ribcage stands ajar
squeeze heart inside to bursting
exploding blood and love and light
in equal parts.

Throat choked with bile or emotion
wait for drainage
until the love and light leak out
blood drips as slow molasses
then seal it up
and shirtless walk away
knowing I will soon be full again.

24 September 2003

Corner

Tip face up to azure granduer
cloudhead godhead rolling reaches
to stroke me through my cap of storebought hair.

Brilliant rays of deity
kiss me through the pancake painted canvas
I call face.

Breeze blowing bennediction
loves me through the shiny vinyl
sequined spandex plastic package
which wraps this bitter body
that I offer up for sale.

23 September 2003

# 17 #

tamed doe
refuses food today
recognizing poison
in my hand

23 September 2003

Storm

Leaves show white underbellies in submission
lumpy horse-clouds carousel the sky
fleet of ducks bobs wildly
dingy toys atop whitefrothed rolling waves
flapping gull blown backward
across the cloudy stripes.

Wind push clothes against my body
wet and molding, melding
melting into me
needlepoints of rain
water whipped up from the bay
prick and sting
innoculate my soul
straight through my skin.

Churning harbor brown as
milky coffee
leaves litter, torn from treetops
tossed heavenward
then pounded to the ground
by brutal blows.

Power pouring through me
eat it drink it suck it
soak it through my surface
splash of wave on slimy rock
surges up to lick
my naked feet.

18 September 2003

Up On You

Hello, Baby, goodbye darlin'
It's amazing what a state you got my heart in
Want to stick to you like glue
Don't know what I'm supposed to do

Baby, it's your touch
that I think I want so much
Come on and hold my hand
til I begin to understand
Who it is you really are
How you came and stole my heart

Never gonna give
never gonna give
never gonna give
up on you

How'm I gonna live
How'm I gonna live
How'm I gonna live
up to you?

Baby, you're so shy
How can we see eye to eye
Should we take the chance
to try and learn to dance
Or do we walk away
Because already it's too late
too late

Never gonna be
never gonna be
never gonna be
stuck on you

Never gonna be
never gonna be
never gonna be
hung up on you

Can I walk away
No, already it's too late
too late

How'm I gonna live
how'm I gonna live
how'm I gonna live
up to you?

Never gonna give
never gonna give
never gonna give
up on you

12 September 2003

Let Go

Round and pink and pearly
so bouncy in its new
latex perfection
filled with buoyancy of summer
bobbing, tugging, playful
untie the knot
and watch it drift away.

* * *

Angular and brittle
flashy bits that flutter
tossed by breeze
searing color onto sunny sky
higher, wilder, straining
cut the string
and watch it fly away.

12 September 2003



Remember

Sure it's a coal mine
but it's up in the mountains.
Step out and cool mist hits you in your face.
Fog hangs like a blanket
over the valley
so still, you hear your heart beat.

Nature's looking to embrace you,
bring you back where you belong.
Find the force you lock away
when you enter man's artificial world:
come outside the coal mine.

It's like going back.
Let nature embrace you,
hear the trees whisper "Welcome home."

Phillip F. Pomeroy, 9 September 2003


Let Me

Let me be the one
to teach you what love looks like
Let me be the one
to teach youhow to love life
Let me show you love
because it's all I have to show
Let me show you love
because it's all you need to know
Let me be the one to teach you
Let me be the one to reach you
Let me be the one to let you go
I love you so

Never want to keep you caged
when you want to fly
I also never want to say goodbye
So let me open up the door
and let me push you through it
Fly away or stay right here
Whatever you do it will be me
to hold you tight and also set you free.

Let me show you love
because it's all I have to show
Let me be the one to love you
Let me be the one to let you go
I love you so.

15 September 2003

Speak Tender

In your mouth
you hold the power
to bring pain or joy
words that love and heal
others that destroy.

How is it you
use these words
to hurt me as they do
try to swallow all my
pain and disappointment
is there any ointment for my wounds
some nasty medicine fed to me in spoons.

So I will smile
through my tears
for a while
or for years and years.

One of these times
I'll finally learn my lesson
my only crime is that I've been messing
with things I should leave alone
alone
leave alone.

Left alone
no ringing of a telephone.

Wondering why I should be feeling such surprise
Wondering if everything you said to me was lies
Did I never get to know the one behind your eyes
How is it you
Use your words to hurt me like you do
Never mind, I'll get past all the crying.

Becase no one can stop the singing
of the joy that's winging in my soul.

So I smile
through my tears
for a while
for all these years
And my style
is to calm your fears.

The tears are mine
the smiles are mine
the love is ours
and the world is fine
with me.

8 September 03/ 27 October 03




Ice

cold heart
cold soul
dreams of bitter steppe
dreams of frigid arctic
dreams of peaks, windswept
frozen core creeps, seeping
exudes from my skin
elicting tiny prickles
tiny frozen mountains
evidence of chill within

5 September 03


Patience

Gone, gone
for the appeal of eighteen wheels
the Jones of solitary
roar of diesel, smell of road
mouth and eyes at odds.

Mouth smiles at me
green eyes are blue
go on and drive
go on and do that thing you do
sad green eyes
seek open skies
scenery that isn't me
snow encrusted mountains
city caked in smog
rambling winding highway
bridge floating into fog.

Come home to find me waiting
waiting, loving wife
come home to find me waiting
waiting for my life.

4 September 03

From July 11:

> > The sky has been amazing today, like a stormy sea on one side, then a few miles, a few minutes later, it's a Charlie Brown cartoon sky, with happy friendly whaleclouds floating through the blue.