close your eyes and
picture the garden beast –
you know the one

cold tail in poison
head, elder icon, circle
snake devouring its self

when you close them
what do you see?
adam?  peace?  hope?  release?

when i close mine
i see an infant
reeling against the wheel


onan over ophid
i choose lovers
but never mothers

i offer love
but always i
tender my seed

at the altar
of a warm
and fruitless god


this wheel
will turn
no further

this wheel
will turn
no daddy


enough
enough
enough.