Friday, February 22, 2008

6 - The Tower of Babel

He reads Thomas Mann
in German
his long body
sprawled lazy in the leather chair
cat’s pleasure in a shaft of sunlight
I squint my questions
towards his secret smile
There is no word in English
he explains.
Later, in the darkness
he holds my shuddering body,
tells me that he loves me
I examine the words at arm’s length
wondering if I have understood

copyright 2008 L.M. Davies

Friday, January 25, 2008

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4 - Mamma Liked Me Best

Under that deep bowl of fluorescent sky
we washed our hands
hair combed
fingernails perfect
and marched
in smiling unison off that
Kewpie doll assembly line
towards the dining room table
Place cards
like those information tags at the zoo:
Homo sapiens, mother and young habitat suburbia
told us who we were
what our habits
likes and dislikes
were
as we shined for the crowd
dancing for peanuts

Copyright 2008 Linda M. Davies

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2 - Conversation

Part I - Dogma

A thunder of lumbering shadows breathing down my neck
strangled ragged voices sneering No
enraged as I struggle to breathe
This is what Dogma looks like
sapient teachers, priests and politicians bleeding their red criticisms
seeking only duplicates
authority based in Fear
It’s an assembly line of faith
leading only to War
or Birth


Part II

Noise lifts his weary head
sniffs at the wind and scrapes his conscience clean
All written before he was born
he regrets only his brothers’deaths
Ainle and Ardan,
too young to know a woman’s touch.
He sighs in resignation
turns to the Deidre, happy in her sleep
coupled with her prize
Hair black and sleek as a raven’s wing
Skin as white as new fallen snow
and lips redder than blood
An old tale, this avarice
A strong woman to make it so
pinion him between honor and desire
with no care but for her own greedy heart
He picks up spear and harp
walks toward the watery dawn to meet his fate
content to play his part
as sacrificial lamb.

Copyright 2008 Linda Davies

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