Mnemosyne And Ezra

I.

this dredging up

debarking first

and after, the

deforesting

or uncorking

the slush bottle,

sweet but rancid

hand and mouthful,

stings with bleach water

stings with nettles

unwinds the wraps

carefully bound

See this here, here

under the rule

of year and hour

and each in full,

another page turned -

There! a streaked sheen

smudge, a cold splash

of quicker sin -

and turned back to

the front cover

the bricks laid out

each in anger

then stacked again

motarless wall

toppled sideways

rebuilt anew

II.

Jeruselem's

own shackled-eyed

prophet-mason

knees in rain-muck,

the register

in his right palm

a count of those

left, the remnant,

his shredded robe

muddy under

his prostrating,

weeps and weeps now.

Bitter and Salt.