Lazarus Jewelbox

Inside a shell, there was a sea
holding all the world’s blue waters.
But it was also half full of drought.

All she’d ever known was drought,
but ear to the shell, she heard the sea,
the circling cadence of the waters.

Caroline released the waters
and left a shell now full of drought
and threw it deep into the sea.

Sea waters stall the birth of drought.

///

To Call the Goddess

The old man lost faith in rain,
stopped praying, whispered soft,
I’ve had enough. I give.

How many poems can you give,
brother, to call the goddess of the rain?
A shadow in a sheep’s clothes, soft

wings flutter, a sound so soft
you stop the car, pull over and give
a listen to the whistle of a train.

To hear the rain fall soft again? I’ll give.

///

I’ll Race the Fiercest Gulls

 

How much time could you borrow to put off

the moment when you’ll go tomorrow?

 

The sound of earthquakes will reverberate

across saffron-tinged plateaus tomorrow.

 

Despite the coming squall, will the sky still

fill with pepper-colored crows tomorrow?

 

Through dizzying emporiums, I’ll hunt

the rare rust-colored rose tomorrow.

 

I’ll row this boat and race the fiercest gulls

across the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow. 

 

I’ll grind my glass and polish brass to see

as far as Galileo tomorrow.

 

In tendrils of light across the night, I’ll

write my name to guide you home tomorrow.

///

Ghazal for a Nearly Forgotten Rain Goddess

 

Wilderness is a circus ride; I jump

silver turnstiles and dodge my fare tonight.

 

Somewhere on the withered plains, coyotes

howl and cry as they leave their lairs tonight.

 

Lonely weather satellites trek all through

the salted skies like robot prayers tonight.

 

You claim constellations for forgotten

nations on dusty roads we share tonight.

 

Your voice, mellifluous, you whisper and

name the hurricane wind-stirred air tonight.

 

Come thunder and southern lightning storms we

rejoice, Let rainfall be our heir tonight.

///

Bio

James Brush lives in Austin, TX and posts things online at Coyote Mercury where he keeps a full list of publications. He also edits the online literary journal Gnarled Oak.

link: http://coyotemercury.com

link: http://gnarledoak.org