if I am not green and horses do not fly
then my thymus strikes an unseen note
antelopes across a sky of time
I wear a coat of smoky petals burning red and white
twelve suns bounce light on shapes
five crystal-faced I swim the air
two, four, or ten arms churning loose
till I wear shining yellow, lime
if in my hands I hold a skull, a trident, drum, and noose
I rub the secret lining of a fire
beat the sound of ou, bend down and scatter blue
Jennifer Burch has been published in Sal Mimeo, Verse, Free Verse and has forthcoming work in Pierogi Press, COMBO Arts, and Green Integer’s anthology, The Gertrude Steins Awards in Innovative Poetry in English.
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