for Marvin Bell
It was a remarkable tree
in an unremarkable garden
seagrape and seven-year apple
What are your questions for
the future what are your
questions for the present
Write them on a frond and
bury in the sand. Don’t
disturb the ants if you can
Keep from doing so. They
are the fire kind and do not
like to be stirred to action
on a hot day but will
swarm if provoked. Wait
three days or until the
first rains come. Shake
down a coconut smash it
on the ground as hard
you thought the color of the sky
was obvious, though if we go
back in time we find that men
only cared about colors associated
with power—black, white, red
yellow and eventually purple
the sky was only significant
when enriched by the sun or
made silver and prismatic by the moon
and the thoughtless stars
whose realm we cannot enter
……………………………………..though we try
what are the moods of the sky
weary whimsical somber tall fluffy
important forgiving reckless feckless
flagrant ominous bright and dreamy
I’m sure there are others, too