Three Poems

Heaven Dog

What fruits there are in Hell—and has any 1 wandered about them ? The very few things as true as blood: who named and who counted them ? Granted, if the parvovirus takes our dog of 9 months. Exclamations Vary. The play of fur, innocent tongue pink flesh and flame In summer. Rust of grief. Saltpeter For growing absence, the riptide Sorrow. Solo flight. The moon howled At. Pedigree pellets shaped into Tiny bones of cartoon anatomy. More than dogs, than nuptial gods. Time in a wedding chamber—elastic Hymen snaps a glow-worm’s green-blue Touch. Incandescent moan. Crux. Labial cheek. Horse-hair brush. Heirloom wood handle. No you say Yes you say there are words But how do they mean ? ? Greater love hath no man or dog than this—a life laid Down—in memory, in a heart Torn recklessly—in blinding Storm—hammer fist, loss, madness. Or prayer flung in the deadly Dark—what is man/what is dog. The playground of a killing love. (For Cotton)