a trick to

there is a trick to it...

a twist of place--
strings binding &
coiling, turning &
bending until all
outside in or
dexter warps sinister like
shadow bending light

intuit intuit
toss the compass afield
needles     are    use l e s s
my friend

for, you see
we are also the trees
entangled, rooted
jailed in time...
and we were meant
to be sentinels standing

there is a trick to it...

nettles

nettle tongued
i cover my head
under the cowl
spirit humming
to lure them out
two fistfuls of
elmwood bark
knuckling a
forehead soft

wayfaring winter

quenched flames
is it age or reason?

a draught from a cauldron
a breath of the wild spring
solitary blackthorn stones
& center, always a center

there is dust on my duster
a drifter in something once black
but weathered now & greyed
admittedly frayed
battered & broken
my boots need mending
soul worn through & through

winter fells with their
skeleton crews
black against
the drifting snow
a lone fox night barking

birthright, the night

we roamed streets of sin
hands grasping, gasping
as they touched your
beautiful skin, underbelly
of night, gunfire flashing
lights and the filth oozing
from the looming city beast

pressing on, always pressing on...

mutants howled moonwise
as we rambled and roamed
escaping with kisses and thorns
reclaiming our birthright, the night

three runes: ᚦ ᛈ ᚾ

i am the underground

underworlds life river snaking
from hazelnut wells
drinking me in &
finding balance
before falling to freedoms

i am the underground
it was always meant
to be

symbolisms
ᚦ thurisaz
ᛈ pertho
ᚾ nauthiz

banish misfortune

gather me rags
around me bones
howl & holler 
moondark nights

rattlesticks & drumskin
hooves & clatter
shrieking for a lover
screaming with wind

untruth, forgotten oath
fearing-wrapped cloth
shake that femur
rattlebone rattlebone
with name spit curses
a speedy way home

three runes: ᚲ ᛉ ᛈ

from the ashes
down the river
cross the threshold
through the door

crow thorns & stone
entangled & thrown
bury me standing
so that i might see

three sisters behind
dense veils
carving for the
funeral feast

symbolisms
ᚲ kenaz
ᛉ algiz
ᛈ pertho

three runes: ᛜ ᚾ ᚠ

passing through dolmen
painted sacred colors:
scarlet, black, and white

at each, a seed planted
an agony of growth
out of the long dark
a bounty issued

bear waiting,
hungry after the cold

symbolisms
ᛜ ingwaz
ᚾ nauthiz
ᚠ fehu

three runes: ᛈ ᚲ ᛗ

tending cauldron fires
three burning drops
& i become
a whole world
without crossing a single
wood or stone
threshold

symbolisms
ᛈ pertho
ᚲ kenaz
ᛗ mannaz

northwoods linger

paper peel birch
deadwood to watch
raft layers wending
midstream, doe eyes
watching dragonfly
shipmates guiding
around cattails, rocks