four theatrical scenes
1
thirteen dancers hold large butterflies, frogs, crabs, and fish
on sticks over their heads
on our pallet, everyone laughing and tickling
Christmas lights adorn a swan the size of a sailboat on the beach
surrounded by jesters and an undertaker in top hat
and don’t giggle much
tents with electrical lighting have encamped under a bird feeder in the library
late-night lime daquiris, with or without salt
a dozen dresses covering light bulbs
hang from a leafy tree after sunset
2
the classic marble trio upholding the blue orb
stands in three stages of undress
regardless, stay cool
3
behind the eyes and ears of her diaphanous gown
she wears nothing
she still has eggshells behind the ears
Salome, with her slippery hands
4
a surgical theater of the dead Romans and Dutch masters
with a sole nun present and in prayer
while the child skateboards through the kitchen
elaborate mathematical equations in icing on the wedding cake
as animal tracks through a universe
Poem copyright 2016 by Jnana Hodson
To see the full set of Partitas, click here.
Jnana's Red Barn 