Hermitage Poem

Day Seven

Sun licks twisted bark,
melting primordial knots
on bony shoulders.

Sudden hollow snap overhead
more like tongue click –
thogngnk to the left,
thogngkn thogngnk
to the right,
woods alive with tongue clicks of trees
stretching limbs
thawing muscles
heralding warmer weather.

– from Suicide Psalms (Anvil Press 2008)