Then And Now

uninterrupted wildebeest

dropping into the muddy river
of her blonde hair

anxious light modeled from clay---
from what scavenged star

its beast of jungle heat
dumped on big city flowerpots

the million buildings swallowed by human lions
boogie woogie all evening long

she threw her hair back
her owl eyes once raped by a janitor

in the sixth grade girlsroom
her toes a great joy her tongue her lips

superfluous now
she’s dancing with a spatula