In the pause
the year of our Lord
with moons soft skin surface
she did remember
ashamed to be on cemetery road
with a wearisome lover , a toxic presenter .
her light lit in strangers
his first underground tantrum
the animals digging demanding ransom .
she did not die
she just went somewhere
the shrill trumpet
one long note , a siren cry .
in the pause
the lunar month kingdom come November
she did remember
relief to watch the fish swimming shallow
scales of gold leaf a washed in splendour
like spaceships on cathedral wall frescoes ember
with Saints and kings
their cut off heads in glass case transgender
again the drum , again the drum
she did not die , she did not die .
in the pause
in the headlights of the dark
she did remember
the moon , her body massive
a swell , no bones the cosmic fish anointed
river salmon swim the wrong way
yearning to be back home
the second tantrum
the compass north to abandon .
platinum gifts arranged before her ,
potatoes cooked in caves and grottos
a blind pony , perfect braids , a shiny shell anklet
the Good Harbor passage running
herds with broken heart clefts
a whirlpool startling birds
causing snake movements straight into a tree
where again the drum
booms lyrics now of Vermeer mood to see .
she did not die
she just went somewhere
the shrilling trumpet hallows
its final note , Michigani’s brutal storm
her throne to sail on rising confessions possession
again the drum , again the drum
she did not die , she did not die .
Last photo by Rosemary Alpert Photography