David McLansky Poems

All vines curl toward the light
Deep within the shaded night;
Twist and reach within the tangle,
Grip and leap from every angle;
...

Rock me in your arms asleep
As the life force from me seeps,
Cradle me as a child,
Soothe me with your purring smile;
...

After the Second Child's Death,
There was no more lying;
Prayers could not
Summon one more breath,
...

The Priest's Decision (3)

My dear child, I am bereaved
That in this man you've been deceived;
...

The Nun's Tale (1)

'My friend, my lover, my boon companion,
My Musketeer, my bold D'Artagnan,
You rescued me from the Nunnery,
With fine sword work and gunnery;
...

The Hasty Departure (6)

The Prioress learned of Ann's harsh labor,
Heard of the child with much disfavor;
...

The Prioress' Tale (2)

Yes, I remember Sister Anne,
The Nun who broke her vows and ran
With that soldier, that Musketeer,
She's paid the price, never fear;
...

Shirley Bird Blues

She’s a crazy maze of hysterical ways
And her body’s god big and lazy
...

We drift upon the glass-like water
Beneath the trees and tangled borders
A finger in the blue-green flow
Trailing ripples as we go;
...