Friday, April 20, 2012

Begin At Portsmouth Square

Brief as a fly's
wingbeat.  Eyeflash
a dead man speaks.
The Taoist magician beats
his cymbal beneath a full moon;
he leads them all
to their tombs --
hop, hop, hop.

Lanterns strung high
floating red globes
above the street.
Rung twice, a bronze bell repeats
the signal calling the townsmen
to the bright hall.
Spring again.
Cold raindrops.

Take my hand.  Let's walk
down a peopled block.
Above the fortuneteller's head:
a cold gray trace of ghosts we've fled.

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