August 13:
Dear Amy–
Reaching toward
an unknown–the gap
between here and
there–
background clatter
shattering shadows–
(image: Henri Matisse “La Musique”)
August 14:
Dear Carmiel,
The radio tells stories
of economic downturns,
of mentally-ill prisoners,
of thunderstorms,
of olympic triumphs,
of political unrest,
and I drink coffee
and eat a biscuit.
(image: Masolino “Peccato originale”)
August 15:
Dear Christian–
Is this a conversation?
conversion? or a sign
of the ever-present heart-
ache–
this connection,
fragile–
these words fluttering
away–
(image: Gertrude Stein in foreground, Alice B. Toklas in background)
August 16:
Dear Diane–
The days slip and spin
as I pedal,
make change,
choose between—-
follow the breath,
follow the sun
setting
(image: church of St. Maria in Cosmedin, Roma)
August 17:
Dear BJ–
the trick of being embodied:
subtle observations
in every moment–
here, in the mirror–
here, on the train–
the way the light poured
in this afternoon, flooding
my vision with the burst
of summer exuberance,
the way new life just appears–
(image: Barbara Kruger “You thrive on mistaken identity”)
August 18:
Dear Marian–
A bargain with my body:
trust me, we will make it–
sigh–sign–the signal
green, and we go–
wholly, hesitantly–
thinking of the time–
so many gestures and
the heavy fear
congealing here–
(image: nude woman’s profile and torso)
August 19:
Dear Kim–
the airwaves full of mixed
messages–
expect no clearing
for the next four years–
what we believe
tossed back and
forth–appeasement
at best, at worst betrayal–
(image: Joseph Cornell assemblage)