NaPoWriMo - day twenty two

pelican

so still

head

on chest

the drum

of heart

pierced

breast

flash

vulning

to wound

and now

this promise

attention

mercy

What Beauty Knows About Itself by Chard deNiord - NPM22

That it is a genius in its diversity and therefore ruthless.

That it is not enough in the end to hold the beloved,

although it seems to be at first, more than it seems.

That it hosts a worm that is capable of consuming the heart in a day.

That it is perishable, like fruit, if left out too long.

That it needs a sister, like Antigone, to add something essential

to its otherwise pusillanimous character.

That it is transcendent form, criminal catalyst.

That it might as well be motherless since death is its mother.

That it fades much quicker than it appears.

deNiord, Chard "What Beauty Knows About Itself" The Double Truth. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2011. 27.

NaPoWriMo - day twenty and one

unicorn

she sits there quietly,

your head nestled in her lap –

restful. at the confluence

of myth and religion,

an image of purity wrested

from its roots and watered

with grace. how we find

the meaning of things:

this animal represents that,

that colour betokens this,

this gesture bespeaks thusly –

how do we refine these stories?

what fires will be required

to purify the past

and make it fit for us

to drink in

in this century, this time

of wrestling. so many

secret potions

portioned to heal

so many poisons.

come here, now, and see.

draw close and enter through the gate.

let the wounded heart

stab through the cloud,

that light encompass us;

a comfort to lift our head

before you bring us home.

Instructions for Telling the Truth by Chard deNiord - NPM21

Begin by removing one article of clothing at a time, slowly,

until nothing's left to take off and no one's watching.

Patience, patience, as your words replace your garments

and suddenly you're standing alone in the square

like a flower that speaks in silence with so many tongues.

deNiord, Chard "Instructions for Telling the Truth" The Double Truth. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2011. 15.

NaPoWriMo - day twenty

peacock

some say the body will last forever.

the skin sensitive to every state,

the eyes always open

scanning the horizon,

piercing the sky,

glimpses of heaven -

that glorious shivering fan

full of sun, moon, stars.

the eyes of the universe

on us, your eyes

searching for my eyes,

blinded by glory -

our own meager glory.

here is the vault of heaven

arranged in a vase,

quivering as you walk past -

the hem of your garment,

soft like a feather.