Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Letters to the Queen



Dear Highness
         Majesty
         Mother
         Queen,

Perhaps you can
help me.  It is

early March and
I am concerned

about a hive of
my bees.  I have

found my queen
in the top box.

She was marked
green.  But I saw

only a few larva,
some brood,

not a solid egg
pattern and so

so many painfully
small drones.

Should I replace
her with someone

younger?  Is she
worn out?  What

should I do?  I was
thinking I could buy

a virgin or a mated
queen.  Will I risk

disease?

Worried in the Apiary,
James

Dear James,

This is an interesting
question.  What you

have is a drone-laying
queen!  Kill her.

The hive needs a virgin
or a fully mated queen.

The Queen

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Americans Dot the Dusk



social
neatness like

a
patched
thought

               stark crayon

                              a torrent
of                           chill
               tendrils

the voice of
               scorching

high in the air

               briefly peering
back



(1-inch window, right-hand margin, p. 22-28)


Monday, June 23, 2014

Autumn Grade



               time
               a
blue-white diamond

to live
               on
               a
ray of
               jade-green
               wood

               this
slow-dawning

trackless
dusk coming

leaf-less trees


(1-inch window, left-hand margin, p. 14-21)


Cobus Creek

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Outside Heroic



choice
               women

               delicate
bones

                              the eye
                              sockets

               a
               fine
               narrow bridge

                              a marked
               way of looking

                              the
truck gardener’s
                              toil


(1-inch window, left-center margin, p. 11-12)

Thursday, June 19, 2014

West of Town



there’s currant and
cabbage

as much as

the
faded spring
rose


(1-inch window, right-hand margin, p. 8-10)