Introit

Introit

Cor,

Moon waxing, growing fat and

yellow like butter, flat and round

the day of hearts, looming

something red is wanted

the edge of a blackbird's song

wing of cardinal, holly berry

all out of season

Cord,

Wholly spring under a crystal bright frost

glittering on the frozen earth

the still moon grows and glows

stars swim, little sharks gnawing

at the night, ragged edge of light

Cour,

Out, out, so far into the blue mosaic

over the checkerboard fields, over

the torn mountains, over the tormented

roads, heart lifted on that

one red wing, the blackbird's note,

finds the other, finds home

Valentine, clutching pome

Card

The way the words work

telescoping, indexing

writing the history of

our future. Heart in

hand, hand on heart, hand

in hand, heart on heart; four hands,

two hearts, eight chambers

and endless curl of curve

of pearl folding in on itself to that

one still chill and quiet beat.

beat. beat.

oremus

jjl February 12/13 2008