Would you believe
anything I told you
in seriousness
or is there an obvious
border
to the trust
between us
waiting
to be crossed
by the wrong
question
the unbelievable
answer
the stunned
silence
of disbelief
May the world
of our love
have no
countries
5/16/81
I could die today
and leave some things undone
I just might not finish
those things waiting for me
to do
And what would happen
would the world
stop
hold it's breath
waiting
to see if it still
lives
now that I
am gone
Or would it simply
turn away
obliviously completing
my tasks
in some other way
knowing that
I could die today
I could die today
never getting to say
goodbye
like my father
saying his last words
to strangers
who were only trying
to save his life
But not knowing who
they were losing
So
I hope
I said goodbye
enough
kissed him
enough
and in parting
showed the love
I felt for him
inside
enough
so that
he took my love
with him
I suppose he knew
then
but I didn't
that
I could die today
I could die today
greet Death
in some anthropomorphic
fantasy
and walk away
with him
not
with her
women are life to me
bringing it forth
between their legs
pushing us out
whether
we like it or not
having outgrown
our welcome
and needing more
elbow room
And I'm glad they do
I'd like to go back
and explore around
in there
some more
knowing more what
to look for
now
but
I can't get past
the vestibule
They told me
I can't go back
can't be reborn
no matter
what the Christians say
that's just
false advertizing
the truth is
I could die today
I could die today
and maybe
a lot of people
would cry
Wasting energy
I would rather see
used
to kiss someone
still able
to appreciate it
find a new flower
sing an old song
hold a baby
for a while
and make a weary mother
happy
use it
to DO something
that they know
they should do
write that Senator
denounce the war
don't wait
for me
or someone
else to do it
just because
I love you
and I'm living
my life
as if
I could die today
5/16/81
The sun touches my body
I touch the sun
Once my body and the sun were one
My mind says that was a long time ago
My spirit says that it is now
Both are right
The chair holds my body
My body caresses the chair
Once my body and the chair were one
My mind says now we are separate objects
My spirit says everything is connected
One of them is wrong
Feelings come from all over my body
My body likes some and dislikes others
Once all my feelings were good
My mind says it knows which are and which aren't
My spirit says it doesn't matter
Both are wrong
5/24/93
This is a poem in response to the Minnesota
Poetry Project about
the Beijing conference on "Seeing the World Through Women's Eyes"
A Father's View
I can't ever see the world
Through a woman's eyes
Nor feel the pain
Of her suffering
I cannot push an infant
From my womb
Or know the pleasure
Of her suckling
But I see the world
That has mistreated you
Just for being female
And I grieve in that knowledge
I can plant the seed
Wait and nurture
Sing and pray
For nine months
I can catch the baby
On her first air journey
And place her
On your breast
And together
We can make a world
That she will want
To see
9/10/95
Sparkling, scintillating, glinting
light and water
conspire
to show me
unity
There is no flow
no progress
Only everything
dancing with
the sea and air
One cycle
One circle
One sun
One uni
verse
We are all
One word
being spoken
by the dancer
11/24/95
http://www.amuart.com/dal/poems.html
HTML by David A. Lillie (davey at greens.org)
Updated 10 Mar 2000
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