STILL, A GOD

 

Turn the god of poverty

Upside down he remains

The god of poverty nor

Will he be surprised that,

Though a god, he is subject

To such indignities.

SHONAGON'S DEMON

 

It was reported that

There was a demon

In the main room

Of the palace. At first

There was some upset

Pairs of guards walked

The corridors some

Wearing tall hats, others

Twanging bowstrings.

Towards dusk someone

Ordered food; the demon

Sent word that dumplings

And a glass of wine

Might be an agreeable way

To begin negotiations.

EH -- A LIVING

 

The god of poverty, himself

Desperately poor,  survives 

On the pittance he gets for being

The god of wealth’s shadow

WITNESSES

 

Though everyone knows the Abbe

And the Countess have long

Been lovers, for the sake

Of discretion when they walk

In her ordered garden a footman

Follows ten feet behind, sweeping

The ground, erasing all 

Evidence of their passing. If I were

To join them their ghosts would

Startle, deeming me impertinent 

But I think the footman might welcome

A bit of company. We'd try to guess

The words we can't hear.

CLARIFICATION

 

You are not the first to ask but

I'm not Mary; I'm Yashoda and this

Infant at my breast isn't Jesus but Khrishna.

Stay If you're in the market for a miracle

My boy may be of some use to you.

EXCHANGE

 

I thought, my father says,

That being dead releases one

From all responsibilities. 

God, shrugging, says,

Now we know different.

TARA WHO COMES IN TEN COLORS

 

I thought to introduce my mother

To Tara who grants protection

From eight great perils including

Pirates and mad elephants but found

They were already acquainted.

There used to be, my mother said,

Many raging elephants and more

Than a few pirates strutting

Through Patchogue -- this was before 

You were born. Why do you think

I grew up to be so durable?