meltemi

you can watch the wind
rush out over the water
like someone’s breath and
it’s easy to feel just then that
motherearth brought us here
wanted us here prepared for us
this ancient aegean garden
of silken breezes and breasts
and rivers of milk

but later
in a sunkilled field
I saw an old burro standing
alone in the deaddry weeds

his four feet bound
I suppose so’s he wouldn’t
jump the wall

as if he could jump at all

perfectly still
noble like a sentinel
not even flicking his tail
at the flies that bit on him

the fur on his back worn away
by a thousand heavy saddles

the look of wisdom and forbearance
on his face as he waited there to die
reminded me of pictures of jesus

later that night
the moon glinted
a golden path
out across the black water
all the way to the horizon

and I wanted to run on it
until I reached the sky
out beyond the reach
of kindness and cruelty
out to where what sent us
waits to welcome us back

2003