You are red flowers
you are the red leaf off the tree on the hard brown mulch
you are the red blood that flutters through the mitral valve prolapse
in my jackrabbit heart

Mind-reader wanted!
In bold face type
Where you will never see it
I've gotten drunk to long
On being understood
I don't think I can survive
Without it.

I know the static hangs in the air
like bully thrown shoes
on a power line
And electricity cast
like searching fingers
from silent beings
you've got your rubber gloves
And I've got mine

I'm sorry I'm now a careful thing
that I play in the shallows
eyes high to the trees.
Around the edges:
Where I can say I love you
and mean it and still be able to flee.
Because the last time the storm came
I nearly drowned.
So now I know every water safe bolt-hole
and how to run.
But I wish I still cliff-dived
into the deep of the lake
instead of staying
close and safe.

There is no Bacchus
watching our coming together
there is no excess,
there is passion, and hunger,
there is no feasting
there is some giving in
too little to get drunk on
I love you
in the strong silent way,
I love your person
I have trouble knowing that you love
I need your passion to break
before me
I need to be drunk on it
pour the wine
and i will stay at your table
speak my name
with love on your tongue
lay out the feast.
and i'll lay my love on the table
if you'll do the same.