Milksnake

Hushpuckena built him a fire
he gathered driftwood back in the shadows of the barn
you could hear
crawling through the straw
like Satan's plow
or a blue river that quits
when there is a heavy frost and lemons to be eaten
some noise was heard
a hand gliding over the ruined stocking of a virgin
knocked out on the credenza
the splendor of the unfastened moon
coagulating on the seat of the coupe
the feint commotion of a priest or a thief
who walks in his sleep
a cicada on the staircase and a splinter
receding like the frontier of the cheerleader's garlic
like tights waving colors
and hair underwater
a cemetery very close to the deaf mute's bedroom
like a train
or five stolen mares
tow sacks tied to their hooves
hay bales full of evidence and mice
and the lantern blinked
so quick it would take your breath away
just like that
the devil can have both our souls
if the awnry lord did not nurse the heifer
like the chant of a dredge
he bit the teat and there was Hushpuckena with sandpaper
and smoke coming from a bucket of quills

© Ginny Stanford