Moon Country

I witnessed a massacre of skyscrapers in ascending smoke — the moon at our jacaranda crossroads — the arrival of night birds in cloud domes — suicides of light across the swelling seas — winter sunlight pulsing at ash dusk over the gas station beacons.

Oh Ovid, what enigma of a Genesis is this? I outlived my myths. Metamorphosis, I am born again in the storms of moon country. The vanity! of beauty and decay! And our fragile lives, encompassing so vast a tragedy! I am surrounded by moons. Remnant of creation, deliver me to ecstasy. Desire this manacle this miracle this mutilation. At the precipice of the night’s black abyss, I witnessed my end— blinded by the gods of moonrise. The fragility! of becoming! I witnessed the deeps breeding novel miseries. I witnessed a universe in flight from desire’s agonies. You are the mirror of light at the ocean horizons. You are the anguish and euphoria of Paradise. I made an oath with the fallen: a rapture in dark waters — burial in the night seas — for freedom in the moon countries. Oh Ovid, what enigma of a metamorphosis is this? I outlived my genesis. Desire’s burning wings gripped me. God of the wilderness, do not diminish me. Like a divine thing, I resurrected into these beautiful ruins of a life. I resurrected into desire. I witnessed the light committing suicide. Escort me to the moon countries. Bear me to the land of Lethe where I remember nothing. And I am born again.

In the remnants of departed daylight, desire burned its wager of flames in me.

I sink in these beautiful ruins, I sink in again —