Five Sublime Poems by Alan Catlin

 

Out of season snow. Budding, half-

formed leaves. Bent branches dislocated

as bones are, torn tendons that have been

snapped in two.  All night silvered trees

howl in pain.

 

                        ghost birds

                        shelter in ever

                        green tombs

 

 

 

            Flowers frozen in mid-bloom. Tender

as glass. Luminous to the touch. Formal

gardens made solid as scrap iron sculptures.

Flaking rust falls from low ceiling sky.

 

            shredded by moonlight-melting trees

 

 

 

            Heavy water falls as rain on sheet

metal. Ball peen dents on scuff-marked

elliptical planes. Conical headed, sprouting

weeds, bend right angled stems.

 

                        In soft light

                        frosted spider webs

                        glow                       

 

 

 

            Scarecrow dreams as vivid as phantom

limb pain.  The gnarled branches host black birds,

eyeing furrows of loam, seed sprouts on a grid of

nerves, pulsing with light.

 

                        Storm cycle changes

                        the course

                        of the wind-snow 

 

 

 

            Flood stage creek overflows banks in

quicksilver night. Gnarl of stump roots and dry

rot limbs propelled between tree breaks.  A

buzz of wasp nest hives spit stinger edged sparks

into clenching fists of  earth where white waters

rush.

 

                        Polished stones

                        form a wall;

                        the night aches 

 

Alan Catlin has recently published several full  length poetry books and chapbooks of poetry. Recent Titles include The Road to perdition ( Alien Buddha) Memories Too (Dos Madres) and Sunshine Superman (Cybertwit.)