TWO POEMS FROM THE CONFUCIAN ODES by NEELI CHERKOVSKI

A Legion…

a legion. a league
in the dust and dapple, a ridge
of ants, a ring, a circus, a performance
of ants, a desire to seize, a lament in the dusty rabble
of voices, a losing proposition, this empire, the border
guards and the merchants waiting by the dock
for the barges

to tip. an envious glance, a desire
to be known, let the
light topple the trees, let
the river speak
for experience, one
hundred years
we are no more able
then the other, one
cup empty, one cup
half empty

*******

Rust

the armor is rusted, love, the pan
is empty, snarling dogs
await us, this long, narrow path
crosses a bridge, the tall trees
dampen the light, all is rust, all
the tropes fallen, could we, the imaginary
line, fake a punt, under the tower, the black
tower, the men of the black tower, the evil
priest, the extinguished candle, lord of the
ax, men without pity, harsh men plodding north
in deep drifts, take pity on the men
of the long march, those chill bones, the moans
in time, deep rust, rusty trees, silence
of the air between one white dwarf and another,
mosquitos in the marsh, stand near the bank,
go to the brink, the rusted lines of a song

--Neeli Cherkovski

Used with permission.

In Fear Of Eviction
snowflakes fall past the window

you count them
erratically
your sum as random
as the snowfall

in a corner of the room
you sit and wait
for a knock
on the door

today is not a day
for small miracles

today you need
to squeeze
water from rock

you need to burn
shadows
against the cold

--Mike James From Blue Collar Review.